Seven Deadly Sins: Skyrim Edition
by ThatRandomDudeKyon
Summary: Join Meliodas, Elizabeth, King, Diane, and others on their journey through a troubled land. War is breaking out between two distinct factions, dividing the kingdom. However, another threat lurks in the shadows. Who will rise up to help bring this revolution to an end, and help piece this troubled kingdom back together again? *Skyrim Crossover*
1. Chapter 1: The Start of an Adventure

**Author's Note: Hey guys, this is my first story on this new account. Some of you may be wondering why this is a crossover, and why it isn't in the crossover section. I placed it here only because I feel it will get more recognition this way. Regardless, I think they both have very similar traits to them, and fit well together (thus why I made this story). Anyway, I hope you enjoy the read, and my writing. Please leave a review and tell me what you think!**

 **This is a tale like no other. Where myths and legends are a reality. In the land known as Skyrim, a great plague has fallen unto the people. On the break of war between two distinct sides, Skyrim grows more conflicted by the minute. But, there is more to this story than meets the eye. A great danger awakens from it's slumber, keen on reaping it's revenge on those that had sealed it away. In desperate times like these, the people of Skyrim look to the heavens for a sign of hope, for a savior to save them all. That savior, is the Dragonborn.**

 **-Chapter 1: The Start of an Adventure-**

 **The Drunken Huntsman ~ Whiterun**

"I'll have another ale over here!"

"Same with me! Fill me up another!"

"It's so good! I think I'll take two more!" The bartender, a young, blonde haired boy with green eyes, smiled.

"That's four ales coming right up!" Quick as a flash, he disappeared behind the wooden counter, and popped back up, holding four tankards filled to the brim with ale. The foam gently seeped over the edges of the tankards as he bustled about, dispatching the drinks to his customers. Once the orders were completed, he returned to his place behind the counter.

*Pitooh!* "Blech, this food is terrible! Still, at least the ale's good!" Once again, the bartender smiled.

"Hawk, we got a clean up at table four!" Bursting through a closed set of doors, a pig appeared, trotting happily towards the up-chucked meal.

"As captain of the scraps disposal, it is my duty to cleanse this floor of this delicious meal!" The pig announced.

 _ **Captain of Scraps Disposal ~ Hawk**_

Whether it was the booze running through their system, or just their acceptance of the speaking animal, the men laughed giddily. Once Hawk finished up the scraps, he returned behind the counter, with the bartender. "Mission accomplished, _Meliodas_. The scraps have been disposed of." He raised one of his four legs in mock salute.

The bartender turned towards the pig, and grinned, returning his salute with a thumbs up.

 _ **Bartender and Owner of the Drunken Huntsman ~ Meliodas**_

Meliodas had no sooner given Hawk a thumbs up when the tavern door was thrown open. A soldier from the Imperial Legion stumbled in before falling against a table for support. His armor was charred, burnt black at the edges, and torn apart. Fear was evident in his eyes.

"The legends are true, Dragons have returned to Skyrim!" He announced hysterically. The room fell silent for a moment. Then, one of the drunken men stood,

"S-shuddup! There's no such th-thing as draguns!"

"Yeah!" The rest of the drunkards chimed in. The guard pushed against the table to stand once more.

"Don't you see! This isn't a joke! Does this," he pointed to his armor, "look like a joke to you?!" The men murmured amongst themselves, talking it over. Could it be true? Could the dragons have truly returned to skyrim? Meliodas had to know. Taking a deep breath, the guard continued his announcement,

"Helgen… It's been destroyed… by a dragon…! I barely made it out alive!" More murmurs reverberated throughout the room. The Imperial soldier paused for a moment before continuing,

"Jarl Balgruuf is looking for anyone brave enough to dispose of it. He says any man willing to assist his soldiers kill the beast will earn a reward." _This_ piqued Meliodas' attention.

"What kind of reward?" One of the men questioned.

"Their weight in gold septims." The room suddenly became abuzz with activity.

"Wow! I could be rich!"

"Is it really worth it?"

"I'm out. It's certain death!"

As the guard settled down into the chair to regain his strength, Meliodas popped up next to him.

"Hey there!" His chirpy attitude and sudden appearance startled the injured guard, causing him to fall over. Meliodas helped him back up into a sitting position, "Whoopsie-daisy. There we go, all better."

"Th-Thank you…" he muttered. His voice had become quieter, no doubt from the exhaustion.

"Hey, what's your name?" Meliodas asked.

"Hadvar… " The soldier replied proudly. Meliodas smiled,

"Now, about that reward…" Hadvar looked up curiously,

"Yes…?"

"Where do we sign up!" Meliodas and Hawk questioned excitedly.

 **The Jarl's Estate ~ Dragonsreach**

Meliodas, followed by Hawk, wandered into the great halls of Dragonsreach. On either side of them, stood several large wooden columns, each engraved with ancient Nordic carvings. Above them, chandeliers hung from the ceiling, their candlelight illuminating the great hall. At the end of the hall, sat Jarl Balgruuf.

 **Jarl of Whiterun ~ Balgruuf the Greater**

Meliodas walked cautiously towards the end of the hall, towards the Jarl. A great fire sat in the center of the hall, surrounded by two long tables with sets of silver plates and chalices.

 _Imagine eating scraps off of those! Awwee!_ Hawk looked on in awe.

"Hey, Meliodas, do you think the Drunken Huntsman will be ok while we're gone?" Hawk asked worriedly. Meliodas let out a humph and fished something out of his pants.

"As long as I've got the keys, nothing will happen. Don't worry Hawk, it's under control." Meliodas dismissed the issue and continued walking.

"... What would you have me do then? Nothing?" Evidently, Meliodas had walked right into the middle of an argument between the two figures standing next to the Jarl. One, was a feeble looking elderly man, while the other, was a fierce looking female with bluish skin.

"My lord, please. This is no time for rash action. I just think we need more information before we act. I just…"

"My Jarl, we have a visitor." The woman spoke cautiously, resting her hand on the hilt of her sword.

"Who's this then?" Balgruuf asked irritably.

"My name is Sir. Meliodas, my Jarl. I heard you are offering a reward to anyone to kill the dragon. I have come to offer my services." Meliodas answered curtly. Balgruuf stroked his blonde beard before standing up. Remaining completely silent, the man circled Meliodas, sizing him up. When he finished his inspection, he sat back down.

"You don't look much like the fighting type." He said bluntly. Meliodas merely smiled.

"How about I prove you wrong?" Meliodas challenged. Balgruuf grinned and chuckled.

"Well, I supposed I do have a task suitable for someone of your… particular talents… _perhaps_." Balgruuf stood up again, this time striding off to the right side of the hall, "Come, let's go find my court wizard. He's been looking into a matter related to these dragons and… rumors of dragons." Meliodas followed Balgruuf as they entered the right wing of the hall. A large doorway opened into an adjacent room, considerably smaller but still large nonetheless.

Inside was a mess; books and other items lay strewn here and there, seemingly in no particular order whatsoever. Potions and other mysterious bottles sat on shelves and tables, with labels and markings inscribed on the parchment wrapped around them.

"King? King are you asleep again?" Balgruuf began looking about the room.

"Who's this King?" Meliodas asked.

"He's my court wizard. He can be a bit… difficult. Mages. You know." From behind them, one of the closet doors opened, revealing a short, cloaked figure in blue robes. His face was mostly hidden behind the shadow of the robe's hood. The figure then pulled off the hood, revealing a surprisingly young face, with almost childish features.

"It's just a kid!" Hawk whispered in astonishment.

"Ah! There you are. Meliodas, my court wizard, King. King, I think I've found someone who can help you with your dragon project. Go ahead and fill him in with all the details."

 **Balgruuf's Court Wizard ~ King**

King looked towards Meliodas, the fatigue still evident in his eyes. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he looked Meliodas and Hawk over.

"Hm… so the Jarl thinks you can be of some use to me? Well, I would appreciate an extra sword on my side while I search for the tablet…"

"Oh not this again. King I told you, I need you here!" Balgruuf interrupted, slightly agitated.

"Jarl, please, I need to be there. There could be traps or… or secrets that only I have the knowledge of. Besides, with him as my bodyguard, I doubt we'll have much trouble. Please Balgruuf, I simply _must_ go." King begged. Meliodas internally scoffed.

 _What could this young kid do in a fight? Looks like I'll have to be playing babysitter while we get this tablet thingy._

Balgruuf groaned and rubbed his temple, "Alright, I suppose so. But listen here, you are _not_ expendable. I need everyone at my side right now. And _you,_ " Balgruuf suddenly turned to Meliodas, his tone seemingly condescending and full of authority, "Keep him out of trouble please?" In an instant, his tone had changed from authoritative to pleading, almost worriedly so.

"Uh, yeah of course. Gotcha." Meliodas replied happily.

"Alright then. You two be off, and try to get back here as soon as possible. I'll be here when you get back." Balgruuf walked out of the room, back to his throne where the man and woman waited for him. King looked back at Meliodas.

"Well, it seems it's settled then. Let me just gather a few things, and we'll be off."

 **~ 2 hours later ~**

After quite a bit of scavenging for supplies, King finally bade farewell to the Jarl, and the two began their journey to Bleak Falls Barrow.

"You call that a few things? What do you even have in there anyway?" Meliodas plucked the cumbersome bag from King's hands, and peered inside curiously.

"If we're going on a journey we should be prepared." King attempted to grab back the bag, but Meliodas held him at bay with his free hand.

"Have any booze?"

"No! Of course not!" Meliodas carelessly dumped the bag back into King's hands, causing him to topple over instantly.

"Well it's a good thing I brought mine!" King sat up irritably, and picked up his bag. The two continued in silence for a bit. It was getting later in the day, and the sun was beginning to set, leaving a bright orange color in the sky. The light glossed over the fields of grass that surrounded them. King's arms were getting tired. And his arms. And his back. Quite frankly, King was exhausted. He decided to speak up,

"We should rest for a bit… "

"Are you kidding? We're not even at Riverwood yet. We'll rest when we get there." Meliodas kept walking forward, ignoring the groans and moans of poor King behind him.

"C-C'mon… at least… at least let me take a break for a minute… " Against Meliodas' wishes, King sat against a nearby rock. Noticing the absence of his childish friend, Meliodas sighed and walked over to where King was sitting.

"You don't have much strength do you?" He commented. King responded with angry look,

"It's not what I specialize in, no." Looking over to his bag, Meliodas sighed again.

 _It looks like I'll have to help him out._

Walking over to King's bag, he quickly began shuffling through the contents, tossing out items here and there.

"H-Hey! What are you doing! That's my stuff!"

"C'mon Meliodas give the kid back his stuff." Hawk submitted. Meliodas shook his head,

"I'm doing him a favor. Honestly, I don't think we need all of these books. And a pot? Why did you even bring this?" Meliodas continued to toss items over his head, much to King's dismay.

"T-Those are spell books! I need those! I don't have any other copies! Wait, no! I need that too! Stop!" When he had finished his handiwork, Meliodas stood up confidently.

"Here!" He tossed the bag back to King. Unexpecting the sudden toss, King braced for impact and shut his eyes. He was overwhelmingly surprised when the bag hit him.

 _It's so light!_

"You're welcome." Meliodas grinned before turning around and continuing down the cobblestone road.

"Thanks… " King jogged after him.

 **Riverwood**

The trio walked through the main gate at the town of Riverwood. It was nighttime, and most of the townsfolk had gone to sleep. Only the crickets and the flitting of bugs could be heard. A few guards walked about, keeping an eye out for anything suspicious. Meliodas walked down the street, surrounded by two rows of wooden cottages.

"Ah! There we go. The Sleeping Giant Inn." Meliodas pointed to a sign hanging from a wooden post just past the main gate.

"Sleeping Giant Inn? Curious name…" King wondered.

"Maybe there was a Giant here some time long ago? Maybe that's how it got it's name?" Hawk guessed. The two followed Meliodas up a small set of wooden steps and through the door.

 **Sleeping Giant Inn ~ Riverwood**

Inside the tavern, it was surprisingly quiet; only the soft plucking of a lute could be heard. A few strangers sat at tables, either drunk, or sitting quietly to themselves.

"Not bad." Meliodas commented, admiring the tavern. Hawk scoffed,

"Yeah, maybe. Still, it's nothing compared to the Drunken Huntsman!" Letting out a snort, the pig trotted forward with pride.

"You guys own that place?" King asked.

"Sure do." Both Hawk and Meliodas replied in unison.

"It's got a terrible reputation for drunkards, at least, that's what the guards say." King commented. Meliodas merely smiled,

"Then what they say is true!" King was taken aback,

"And you're proud of that?!" Meliodas chuckled,

"Sure am. We've got the best ale in Whiterun, and once our customers are drunk, they just keeping coming back for more!"

 _He's a scheming con-artist!_ King thought in astonishment.

The trio made their way over to the counter, where a burly man with long brown hair and thick muscles stood.

"Need a room?" He asked before any of them could say something, "Talk to Elizabeth."

"And who might that be?" King asked. The man pointed behind them to a young woman. She had beautiful long white hair which fell to the small of her back, and wore a simple blue and green dress, and a pair of boots.

"Oh, well, thank you," The bartender nodded and went back to wiping the countertop. King turned to Meliodas, "Hey Meliodas, we need… Meliodas? Hey, where'd he go?" King had turned to speak to Meliodas, only to find he had disappeared.

"I think he already beat you to the punch! Look!" Hawk pointed a stubby leg towards the other end of the Inn. There was Meliodas, speaking to the Inn keeper, Elizabeth. His eyes were glossy, like a man in a dream. KIng could've been imagining it, but he thought he saw some drool fall from the corner of Meliodas's goofy smile.

"Well hello there lady Elizabeth. I hear you're the proprietor of this fine establishment, no?" Meliodas stood rather close for Elizabeth's liking, making her slightly nervous.

"Why, uh… yes. Who are you?" She asked. Meliodas grinned,

"Why, I'm Meliodas, pleased to meet you." Meliodas gently took her hand, and kissed it. Elizabeth stood still, unsure how to respond, a red blush coming onto her cheeks.

"Oh! Uh, p-pleased to meet you too!" She let out a nervous laugh, trying to cover her blush, "D-Do you need a room? We've got one available if you need it." Meliodas smiled,

"Why thank you! Yes, I'd like a room for me, my pig Hawk, and my friend King here!" Meliodas wrapped his arm around King's shoulder, bringing him to his side. Elizabeth nodded happily,

"Of course! That'd be ten septims." Meliodas fished in his pocket for money, but found only the bottoms of his pockets. He looked to Hawk,

"Don't look at me, we left it all at home." Elizabeth gasped upon hearing Hawk speak.

"Is… is that a talking pig?"

"Hey King, you got ten septims?" Meliodas, ignoring Elizabeth's new discovery, looked towards King. Letting out a frustrated sigh, he fished out ten septims from his pocket. Meliodas happily swiped the money from his palm and bestowed it to Elizabeth.

"Here you go! Ten septims." Elizabeth gratefully accepted the coin and pocketed it.

"I'll lead you to your room then! Follow me." Meliodas followed closely behind Elizabeth, with King and Hawk trailing somewhat behind. Elizabeth led the trio the room closest to the bar. "Here we are!" Elizabeth gently threw the door open, presenting the room to them. It was a simple room, with a wooden chest at the foot of the bed, and several cupboards here and there.

 _Wait. Just one bed?_

"Uh, excuse me, Miss Elizabeth? Is there any chance… a second room available?" King asked hopefully. He wasn't keen on sharing the bed with Meliodas, or sleeping in the same room as him for that matter. Elizabeth twirled her finger in her hair shyly,

"Hehe, um, no sorry this is the last room available right now. Unless you plan on staying tomorrow as well?" Meliodas turned away, a serious look on his face, as though he were mulling the thought over.

"Hmm… I wouldn't mind staying an extra night-"

"Haha, I'm afraid we've got to get going tomorrow. Thank you anyway for your hospitality." The last thing King wanted was to spend more time with Meliodas than he needed to. He was only a mercenary after all.

"You're welcome! Just call me if you need anything, I'll be just across the hall." King thanked her again as she walked out the door.

"All right Meliodas, I guess we're sharing-"

"Oh sweet Elizabeth… do you need any help? Did you know I run a tavern too? We have so much in common! Hehehe… " King looked on in disgust as Meliodas lay on the bed, kissing up to the pillow.

"Nevermind… I'll pass… "

 **Nighttime ~ Several hours later**

 _Rustle… Rustle… THUD_

King stirred in his sleep. Slowly, he popped an eye open. The room was almost completely dark. Only the faint glow of the moon illuminated the room. Hawk snored quietly off the side of Meliodas's bed. King looked at the bed. It was empty! He knew it. He knew Meliodas would try sneaking into Elizabeth's room at night! Throwing the small fur blanket he had found off his body, he quickly stood up from his pitiful bed.

 _I'll clobber him if he's doing what I think he's doing!_

King quietly slipped on his boots and walked over to the door. He had almost pulled it open when he heard faint whispering on the other side. Curious, he pushed the door open a crack and peered into the hall.

"I say we gut him, here and now! It's not worth dragging him all the way back!"

"No, we'll get more if we keep him alive!"

"He never promised that! You don't know for sure!"

Inside the tavern, stood three men, all dressed in light chained armor. One of them, presumably the leader, held Meliodas at knifepoint, a gag covered his mouth.

 _Meliodas! Who are these guys?_

King panicked. What was he to do? He quickly thought of Chastiefol. Without a second thought, he rushed over to his bag and pulled the spear out, wielding the light weapon with ease. Quickly and quietly, he rushed back over to his peeping hole.

"We don't have time for this! Let's take this outside!"

"Stop right there!" Before he could leap out and make his attack, another voice entered the scene. Looking over to behind the counter, King spotted Elizabeth, wielding a frying pan. Although her eyes stood firm, posture quaked like a leaf in the wind.

"Great, now look, we've been spotted!"

"Guess we'll have to take care of her too. You two, take him outside, I'll take care of her." The leader handed Meliodas off to the other two bandits. Meliodas yelled into his gag, his muffled screams unintelligible. King watched as Meliodas was carried outside, leaving Elizabeth and the bandit leader.

"I said stop! Where are you taking him!" Elizabeth demanded. The bandit frowned, his composure relaxed.

"We're here to teach him a lesson. Please don't interfere." Slowly, he began approaching Elizabeth.

"Stay back!" Elizabeth began to back off, keeping the frying pan tight in her arms.

"Sorry lassie. Didn't want it to be this way."

"Hold it!" Deciding it was now or never, King sprang from his hiding spot. Holding Chastiefol tightly in his hands, he pointed the spear towards the bandit. "Leave her alone, and tell me where your friends took Meliodas!" The bandit seemed unaffected by King's threat.

"Oh, another one? This is turning out to be quite a mess. Alright then, you first. Then I'll take care of you." Brandishing a two sided steel axe, the bandit assumed fighting position. "Come on then! I'll let you have the first move." Suddenly, to everyone's surprise, the door opened.

"What's all the commotion?" One of the town guards questioned oblivious to the situation at hand. Without warning, the bandit quickly swung his axe down and under, bringing it upwards and into the guard's chest. The blade sunk deep into his chest, killing him almost instantly. He let out a surprised gurgle before falling silent for good. Elizabeth and King watched in horror as he kicked off the corpse from his axe.

"All right then. My turn!"

"But that wasn't-" King didn't get to finish. The bandit was on him in an instant. Bringing his axe down with a violent scream, King swiftly dodged his attack. The axe sliced through a nearby table, embedding itself in the wooden floor. Elizabeth squeaked in fright, hiding behind the counter with only her eyes above its surface so she could see.

King turned around, raising his hands chest-high. Chastiefol rose into the air, as if picked up by the wind, and hovered next to King midair.

"I won't ask you again, where did they take Meliodas?!" The bandit grunted, and pulled his axe out of the floor.

"A mage then? No matter, my next hit will end you!" With a fierce battle cry, the bandit charged King once more. With a swift motion of the hand, King sent Chastiefol flying towards the bandit's chest. Within seconds, Chastiefol pierced through the bandit's steel armor, into his skin, and out the other end. Blood dripped from the spear's tip, staining the floor.

"Looks like it's game over." King pulled Chastiefol out of the bandit's body, allowing it to fall and hit the floor. Elizabeth slowly rose from her hiding spot.

"You killed him… " She said quietly. King looked down in shame.

"I had no choice. He would've killed you and Meliodas." Then King remembered, "Meliodas! We have to go after him!" Without a second thought, King darted out the door.

"Wait! Sir King!" Elizabeth watched helplessly as King dashed after his friend.

"What's all the ruckus about? Can't a pig catch some z's?" Hawk appeared at the foot of Meliodas's room. He looked at Elizabeth, then asked, "What's the matter?"

 **Outside Riverwood**

"This is far enough, let's get this over with already!"

"Alright, set him down." Meliodas hit the dirt with a thump.

"Sorry pal, it's just good business." The second bandit muttered, pulling out his knife. Meliodas watched carefully as his captor approached, holding the instrument of his death. Just then, a voice called out,

"Sir Meliodas! NO!" It was Elizabeth! This was his chance! The bandit, who was distracted by her voice, turned his eyes away from Meliodas. Using this opening, Meliodas quickly spun around, pulling his bound arms around the bandit's neck. With all his might, he pulled, choking him. The second bandit turned immediately, and screamed in anger,

"You! I knew we should've killed you sooner! AHHHHH!" The bandit screamed in rage, pulled out his sword, and charged. Using his comrade as a shield, Meliodas threw him upon the other bandit's sword, causing the two to topple over. Quickly, while he was still down, Meliodas picked up the bandit's knife, and began cutting at his binds.

"You bastard! I'll kill you!"

 _Snap!_

Meliodas's binds fell to the floor. Pulling the gag out of his mouth, he scoffed.

"You really should've killed me when you had the chance…" Before the bandit could even comprehend the words leaving his mouth, Meliodas spun around and stuck the knife in his neck. He stood for a moment, gurgling on his own blood which began pouring from the wound, before finally succumbing to the blow.

"Wow…" King appeared from behind Meliodas, "You know… for a while there… I almost thought you were just a bartender… " Meliodas didn't respond for a moment. King wondered what he was thinking about. He then turned around, with that notorious smile on his face.

"Well, I'm a bit of both you could say!"

"Sir Meliodas!" Elizabeth stood next to King. She still wore her undergarments, and carried a worried expression on her face. "Are you alright? Who were those men?" Meliodas shook his hand in dismissal,

"Nobody important. Just a few hired hands from somebody who wanted to kill me. Not sure why though… " He began walking back towards Riverwood, leaving the two corpses behind. "C'mon, we should get back. Wouldn't want to run into another group of bandits. Who knows what they'd do to Elizabeth if they saw her wearing only her underwear… " Elizabeth looked down at her half-naked body and froze.

"AH!" She screamed suddenly, a red blush appearing on her cheeks. In a futile attempt to hide her body from Meliodas and King, she dashed behind a nearby tree. Meliodas couldn't contain himself.

"What's the matter? More bandits? Don't worry I'll protect you! Just stay close to me!"

"No! Please, you can't see me like this!"

"Ugh can we please just go back to bed… " King yawned loudly, "I'm so tired…"


	2. Chapter 2: Bleak Falls Barrow

**This is a tale like no other. Where myths and legends are a reality. In the land known as Skyrim, a great plague has fallen unto the people. On the break of war between two distinct sides, Skyrim grows more conflicted by the minute. But, there is more to this story than meets the eye. A great danger awakens from it's slumber, keen on reaping it's revenge on those that had sealed it away. In desperate times like these, the people of Skyrim look to the heavens for a sign of hope, for a savior to save them all. That savior, is the Dragonborn.**

 **-Bleak Falls Barrow-**

"Ahhhhh, not bad! Not bad at all." Meliodas rubbed the foam off the corners of his mouth with his sleeve. King looked on in disgust,

"That's the fifth one you've had. How are you not drunk?" Meliodas shrugged,

"I have a strong stomach I suppose. Hey Elizabeth? How about another!"

"O-Of course!" Elizabeth stuttered shyly, moving towards the counter to get Meliodas's ale. King stared at Meliodas. He didn't seem to be affected by last night at all!

"Meliodas," King started, "who were those men? Why were they _really_ after you?" Meliodas laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Well… I may have had an affair with one of my customer's… _female companions_ shall we say… hehehe… "

" _Your a lecherous man Meliodas."_

"Here's your ale! Hey, I don't mean to pry, but where are you two planning on going?" Elizabeth set the mug down on the table next to Meliodas, who accepted it graciously.

"We're going to Bleak Falls Barrow. I've heard rumors of a certain stone tablet there that might have some crucial information important for the Jarl of Whiterun. Meliodas here," King pointed towards Meliodas, who was busy downing his ale, "is my assistant." King paused for a moment, making sure that nobody was listening into their conversation. Once he was sure nobody was listening in, he leaned in closer,

"Have you heard what happened to Helgen?" he whispered. Elizabeth shook her head. "It's been destroyed. By a dragon."

"W-What?"

"It's true. The legends of the dragons are becoming a reality. So, Jarl Balgruuf sent me and Meliodas here to help find any information in defeating them." King sat back in his chair, and took a small sip from his glass of wine. Elizabeth stared at the floor. The dragons were returning? Were these two men serious? Could the rumors possibly be true? Meliodas, meanwhile, finished his ale, setting the tankard down on the table.

"Ahhh, nothing better than Ale… hey King, you mind paying the tab?"

"Fine. But when we get back you owe me." King opened his bag to bring out his money.

"W-Wait!" Elizabeth stuttered. Meliodas and King looked up, confused. "I want to go with you… " Elizabeth muttered quietly. For a moment, neither King nor Meliodas said anything. Then, Meliodas stood up, and grabbed his bag. King followed suit.

"I'm sorry. Delving into ruins is dangerous. I wouldn't want you to get hurt. I've already got to watch _this_ one. I don't want to put you in danger." His words surprised even King, who would've thought he'd jump at the chance to bring her along. Elizabeth stared down sadly,

"I-I wouldn't be much trouble! Please… I want to leave this place… I want to help fight the dragons… even if I can't fight them… I can help in other ways!" Was she beginning to cry? King took a step back, unsure what to do. What do they do now? King looked to Meliodas for support. Meliodas brought Elizabeth into a hug.

"There, there. I suppose we have room for one more…"

"WHAT?!" King yelled out in surprise. What happened to, 'Delving into ruins is dangerous…' and '...I don't want to put you in danger…?' Surely he wasn't serious about bringing her along?

"We're leaving in a minute, you'd better pack your things." Meliodas stood up, followed by King, "We'll be in our room getting ready if you need us."

"If you have any food scraps, just leave it at the door!" Hawk called hopefully.

 **20 Minutes Later ~ Outside the Sleeping Giant Inn**

"What's taking her so long?" King sat on the steps of the Inn, next to Meliodas.

"You're one to talk."

"I can't believe they didn't have any scraps! They keep a clean house around here… aweee… I'm so hungry… " Hawk grumbled.

"What about that apple pie I gave you?" Meliodas inquired.

"That's not enough for a big pig like me!" Hawk groveled. Just then, the door behind them opened.

"Ready!" Meliodas, King, and Hawk turned towards the door. Elizabeth stood at the top of the steps, smiling down happily at Meliodas. She wore a completely different outfit than before. This time, she wore brown leather boots and thin leather armor. It was strange to see her in such an outfit; it's hardened texture conflicted with her soft appearance. Elizabeth happily walked down the steps, to where the three 'boys' sat.

"Wow… where'd you get that?" Meliodas wondered,

"It… It was my father's…" Elizabeth said quietly. She ran her fingers through her hair, as if she were uncomfortable speaking about her father. Meliodas stood up and took her hand and kissed it,

"You look absolutely wonderful." Elizabeth smiled shyly, her signature blush appearing. Meliodas turned back to the road ahead, "Well then, let's be off. It's not too far from here, if I'm not mistaken." King stood up, following Meliodas and Elizabeth down the path. Trees clouded their field of view. Birds and insects flitted about, buzzing and chirping to one another.

"Where exactly is Bleak Falls Barrow?" King asked. Meliodas reached into his backpack, pulling out a large piece of parchment. It was old, and torn at the sides, but it's markings were still legible. It was map, showing the seven holds of Skyrim, and several other landmarks.

"Well, if this map is correct… it's just across this bridge, up that path… and up that mountain… " The trees surrounding the path thinned out as they neared a bridge, giving them a clearer view of the path ahead. Just over the bridge, the path continued up the mountain. Large rocks sat at it's entrance, a landmark for travelers. King's eyes traced the height of the mountain.

"Oh… that's a lot of stairs… "

 **Near the top of the Mountain ~ Bleak Falls Barrow**

Elizabeth shivered. It had gotten incredibly colder as they traveled up the mountain. When they had started, it felt like an average summer day. Now they were trudging through snow, with the wind biting at their faces. Hawk was so deep in the snow, he was swimming in it. Elizabeth stayed with him so he wouldn't get lost.

King had fallen behind a bit too. His legs lost strength about halfway up the mountain, and now with the snow, he had to resort to using a potion of strength to keep moving. It didn't, stop Meliodas. Meliodas walked through the snow, wind, and freezing cold unfazed. Elizabeth could only wish to be as strong as him. He was so determined, so persistent to get the job done. She admired his ferocity and will to succeed.

"E-E-Elizabeth!" King called from behind her. His voice snapped her out of her daydreaming. Slowly, she brought her shivering face to meet his,

"Y-Yes K-King?" King looked worse than she did. He had pulled his hood up to protect him from the snow, but it had little effect. His lips had turned a frightening shade of blue, and his hood had just about frozen solid.

"Are… a-are we almost t-t-there?" He called out. His voice being drowned out by the wind, his voice was barely audible. Elizabeth looked to Meliodas,

"Sir Meliodas! A-Are we almost t-there?!" Meliodas stood still for a moment, bringing his hand to shield his eyes,

 _There it is!_

Just ahead, barely visible through the thick snow, Meliodas could just make out the large, dark grey pillars of stone sticking out through the snow. It was an ancient Nordic ruin no doubt; they had an iconic style of architecture which made it easy to identify. Meliodas turned back towards the others and waded towards them.

"It's just up ahead! C'mon Elizabeth, let's go!" Grabbing hold of her hand, Meliodas pulled her towards the top of the path.

"W-W-What about us?!" King called after him.

"Sir M-Meliodas… I… I'm so tired… " Elizabeth could feel the strength in her legs beginning to falter. She couldn't go much longer.

"Alright, I'll carry you." Swooping one of his arm under her legs, and the other on her back, Meliodas picked Elizabeth up, bridal style. The cold didn't bother him much, as he had developed a tolerance for it. Elizabeth, on the other hand, was near freezing, and he knew he would need to get her inside quickly.

A large set of steps started at the end of the path, with large stone arches hanging overhead. Wasting no time at all, Meliodas quickly ran up the steps towards the top. Elizabeth had closed her eyes, and began unconsciously grabbing at his tunic. At the top of the steps, stood two large metal doors, covered in ancient Nord designs and pictures. With his hands occupied elsewhere, he raised his foot and kicked at the door.

 _Thump, Thump, Thump_

"Ugh! C'mon!" Meliodas repeatedly kicked the at the door.

King dragged himself to the top of the steps with Hawk in tow. He watched as Meliodas angrily kicked at the door, desperate to get inside. Even with his brain half numb, King rolled his eyes and stepped forward.

"M-Move… " Gently, he pushed Meliodas out of the way, and grabbed at one of the giant metal rings mounted on its front. With all his strength, King pulled at the door. Slowly but surely, the door cracked open. Meliodas quickly rushed in, followed by King and Hawk.

Once inside, Meliodas rested Elizabeth against a nearby slab of stone, propping her up in a sitting position. King deposited himself on the ground, next to a pile of rubble. Hawk lay there, frozen, unable to speak. Once he was sure Elizabeth was safe, Meliodas rushed back to the metal door and pushed it shut. The last wisps of wind slammed his face before the door finally squealed shut.

"T-T-Thanks for waiting for us… " King muttered. He was so tired. He didn't know if he'd be able to stay awake much longer. Meliodas sighed looked around. The door opened into a large stone atrium, half collapsed with stones and pillars lying everywhere. He walked over to Elizabeth and knelt down in front of her.

"I'm f-f-f-fine by the w-way…" King added. Meliodas glanced at him and nodded. He then looked back at Elizabeth. Her eyes were closed, and her breathing was slowed. She needed warmth. They all did. He stood up, pulling out his sword.

"I'm going to get some firewood or something. I'll start a fire so we can-" He stopped. There were voices. He barely heard them before, but now that the door was closed, their voices reverberated throughout the atrium. "Do you hear that?" His fist tightened around his sword. It was only then that he noticed the small light emanating from further down the atrium. "I'll be right back, stay here." Crouching down as to keep a low profile, Meliodas crept towards the voices, climbing over rocks and piles of rubble.

About halfway down the atrium, Meliodas spotted the source of the voices. Bandits. Two of them. One man, one woman. Both were seated around a small fire. A skeever was mounted on a rotisserie, which was grilling over a fire. Meliodas could smell the meat, even from where he was.

The two bandits were poorly armored, with one wielding a bow and the other an iron sword.

 _I'll make short work of them._

Bringing up his sword, Meliodas planned his attack. He looked about him for nearby cover, in case the archer decided to let loose a few arrows. A massive stone pillar stood in the center of the hall, which could provide good cover. The mound of rubble he hid behind was also sufficient. At the foot of the rubble, a corpse sat, face down in the dirt.

 _I can use him as a shield…_

Crawling over to the body, Meliodas quietly pulled it behind the rubble. Grasping the corpse by the back of his tunic, Meliodas hefted him up like a shield.

 _Not too heavy…_

Tightening his grasp on his sword and 'shield', Meliodas stood up, and dashed at the woman sitting down.

"Wha? Who's there?!" The archer stood up, drawing an arrow. Meliodas wasted no time. With a swing of his arm, he swung his sword against the surprised bandit's neck. The blow, so fierce, sliced through the flesh perfectly, decapitating her.

"Bastard!" The other bandit let loose an arrow. Meliodas held the corpse up to shield him. The arrow landed with a sickening thud into the corpse's stomach. Seeing his moment of opportunity, Meliodas tossed the corpse aside and sprinted towards the archer.

"No!" Meliodas swung again, this time at his chest. The bandit, in a last effort to defend himself, brought his bow up to shield the blow. It was to no avail, for his sword cut easily through the thin wooden longbow.

"Bleagh!"

Blood flowed from the archer's mouth as the sword struck him. Meliodas watched carelessly as he bled out, his movements slowing down until he didn't move at all. Once he was sure the coast was clear, he jogged back to King, Elizabeth, and Hawk.

Elizabeth and King had closed their eyes, slipping into unconsciousness. Quickly, Meliodas grabbed King with one arm, and Elizabeth with the other, and ran back to the fire. As carefully as he could, he laid Elizabeth down on a fur blanket near the fire, and wrapped her in it. He did the same for King, then ran back for Hawk. He could only hope they would all be alright…

 **One day later ~ Bleak Falls Barrow**

"I'm fine… thank you Sir Meliodas…" Meliodas sat next to Elizabeth, handing her charred skeever on a stick. She was looking much better now; the color had returned to her face, and the trembling had disappeared hours ago. She regained consciousness a short while ago, and since then, Meliodas had been helping her regain her strength.

"No, you have to eat. It'll help you regain your strength." He continued to hold the stick out, to her.

"He's right Elizabeth, you should eat. It's for your health." King chimed in. He was looking much better as well. His lips were no longer blue, and his clothes had dried off. Although Meliodas offered to help, he declined politely, claiming he should watch over Elizabeth.

"Eat up Elizabeth, you haven't eaten anything since yesterday!" Hawk added. He had improved tremendously as well, seeing as he was no longer covered in ice. Elizabeth quietly accepted the skeever, and nibbled on it.

"Wow… it's not bad…" She commented. Hawk gasped,

"You didn't cook that yourself did you?" Meliodas slapped Hawk on the head,

"No, I was lucky enough those two," He pointed two the two bandit's bodies, "made it for me." Hawk scoffed,

"Even in the afterlife, they're still better cooks than you-OUCH!" He received another smack on the head from Meliodas.

Elizabeth ate as much as her stomach could bear before handing the remaining meat to Hawk, who graciously devoured it. King pulled out a piece of bread from his pack and ate quietly as Meliodas inspected the ruins. Just at the end of the atrium, a large tunnel led further into the ruins.

"I guess we'll have to go down there."

"Yes. If we're going to get that tablet, we need to go deeper in the ruins. It should be in the master chamber."

"Then we'll head down there as soon as possible. The sooner we're done here, the better. Hopefully when we finish, the snowstorm will have passed." Meliodas turned back to Elizabeth. "You ready to head out?" Elizabeth rose to her feet steadily, and nodded,

"I'm ready, don't worry about me." Meliodas nodded,

"Alright. Grab anything you need, and let's go." King, Hawk, and Elizabeth scrounged up their scattered supplies and followed Meliodas down the stone steps into the tunnel.

Torches and pots filled with wood illuminated the tunnel. Thick, green vines crawled over the rocks, ripping the architecture apart, and causing fissures between the rocks. Rotting corpses lay here and there. They had been dead for a while; most of their skin and clothing had long since rotted away.

Elizabeth looked around warily, making sure to keep close to Meliodas. If something were to attack them, he would protect her. The soft pattering of water dripping from the ceiling and the clacks of their boots on the stone was eerily silent.

"So… how much further?" Meliodas asked. King shrugged,

"I'm not sure. I don't exactly have the map of the interior of this place…"

"I hope we're close… It's creepy in here…" Hawk commented. King, Meliodas, and Elizabeth hummed in agreement. It was suspiciously quiet. The tunnel twisted and turned, until finally opening up into another chamber.

"Is this the main chamber?" Elizabeth wondered. The room was two stories high, though smaller than the atrium, and rectangular in shape. Mounted high on the wall furthest to them, two grey slabs of stone stood out, each etched with a specific figure; One with a snake and one with a fish looking creature. At the end of the room, the tunnel was blocked off by a metal gate.

"Is this… a puzzle?"

"Yes. I believe it is. I've read that the Nords created puzzles and traps in their tombs to prevent bandits and looters. Let's see… what do these figures mean?" King muttered to himself, scratching his head. Meliodas wandered about the room, looking for anything of any use. On the left side of the room, he found three small pillars, each with the same figures on them, except, one also pictured a bird.

"Hey… what about these?" King walked over to where Meliodas was pointing.

"Yes… yeah that's probably it!"

"Look, they're not in the right order." Elizabeth pointed out.

"You're right! Here… what if we turned them so they matched the one's on the wall?" Meliodas suggested. King smiled and nodded,

"I think that's a good idea. But there's three of them. What do we do with the third one?"

"We could try each one and find which one works." Meliodas suggested.

"Ok, let's try it." Meliodas, King, and Elizabeth walked over to the three stone pillars. Meliodas held the first pillar, which currently showed the snake.

"Looks like mine is already done." Meliodas said. King held the second pillar. His currently showed the bird.

"I guess I'll make mine the fish." King rotated the pillar till the fish insignia was facing the front. Elizabeth was next, holding the third pillar. "It needs to be a fish according to those stones." King pointed out. Elizabeth nodded and turned her pillar so the fish was facing front as well. The three waited expectantly, waiting for something to happen.

"Well…? What's the hold up?" Meliodas wondered.

"Hey guys! Maybe we should pull this lever?" Hawk called from the other side of the room. There, sticking out of the floor, sat a small steel lever.

"I guess that opens it." King guessed.

"Here goes nothing!" Hawk placed his two legs on the lever, and pushed. With a loud _CHINK!_ The lever flipped over. The sound of gears turning echoed through the room. It almost seemed like the door would open, when suddenly, small metal projectiles came flying out of the wall.

"Look out!" Elizabeth warned. But it was too late. Hawk was caught in the crossfire. Several of the small needles landed into his side, causing him to squeal out in pain. He instinctively leaped out of the incoming projectiles path, hiding behind a fallen cinder block. Everyone hid behind cover until the shooting stopped.

When Meliodas was certain it was clear, he dashed out to help Hawk. The pig was on his side, wheezing painfully. At least three small needles stuck in his side, and a gross, blue color began spreading over the surrounding skin.

"Oh gods! What's happening to him?" Elizabeth cried out.

"It's poison!" Meliodas cursed. How could they have been so careless? King gently moved Meliodas aside, pulling his bag with him. He reached into his bag, pulling out a small red vial. Meliodas watched quietly as King pulled out the cork stopper, and brought the vial to Hawk's mouth. Slowly, he tipped the vial, pouring the liquid into Hawk's gullet. The liquid splashed around a bit, but most of it was swallowed. Meliodas, Elizabeth, and King watched as the blue began to fade around the needles. Quickly, Meliodas pulled out the metal needles, throwing them aside.

"Hawk? Hawk are you ok?" He asked full of concern. The pig let out a snort,

"Yeah… I'm fine… just my luck…" Meliodas chuckled softly and rubbed Hawk's side.

"You're _lucky_ I happened to have a cure disease potion on me." King pointed out. Hawk coughed and stood up shakily,

"Thanks! I owe ya one." Meliodas looked back at the pillars. Something was amiss. Upon closer inspection, he spotted another grey slab on the floor. He walked over to get a better look at it. On the other side, hidden from view, the snake insignia was etched into the stone.

"I've found it. It's a snake. Let's try it again." Meliodas ran back over to the three pillars. Snake, Fish, Fish. Grabbing hold of the second pillar, he rotated it till it depicted the snake. He jogged back over and placed his hands on the lever. He paused for a moment,

"I hope this works…" Meliodas threw the switch and closed his eyes, half expecting to be shot full of poisonous needles. He was surprised, however, when the gate opened.

"Alright! Let's go!"

"Sir Hawk, can you walk?" Elizabeth asked worriedly. Hawk snorted and instantly stood up on his four legs.

"Don't worry about me Elizabeth! I'm not that easy to put down! They'll have to try harder if they want to take down the Captain of Scraps Disposal!" Elizabeth giggled and followed King and Meliodas through the metal gate, with Hawk close behind. Past the gate was another room, much smaller than the previous one, with a set of spiraled wooden steps leading further down into the tomb.

"Looks like this is the way. Let's go." Meliodas was the first to make his way down the wooden steps, followed closely by the others. "So Elizabeth, what's a good looking girl like you running a tavern in Riverwood?" Meliodas randomly asked. Elizabeth blushed,

"W-Well… my father inherited it from his father, who built it a long time ago. My mother… she died from a disease when I was very young, leaving me and my sisters in the care of my father, Baltra." The wooden steps ended, leading into a room filled with various ancient nordic relics. Linen wraps and assorted old potions about on old shelves. As Meliodas listened, King began inspecting the various potions, and other assorted items.

"He started the inn, raising me and my sisters in the process. He didn't have much time with us, having to raise money and all, but he made time where he could. The work was too much for him though, and soon he got old and frail. We helped as much as we could, even sending my other sisters away to earn money. So, I was left with the inn, and my father's assistant, Orgnar." Elizabeth looked downward, "My father died shortly after he gave me the inn. I miss him…" Meliodas tried to cheer Elizabeth up,

"I'm sure he'd be proud to see how his children have grown." Elizabeth giggled half-heartedly.

"My father tried to raise us to be independent, and hard working. Though my sisters are such things, I guess I fall a bit short on such attributes…" Elizabeth quietly muttered the last bit, but Meliodas heard it quite well. He laid his hand on her shoulder gently.

"If it makes any difference, I disagree. You came here all on your own, even though you knew it would be dangerous. You acted independently. Nobody told you what to do, you just did it." To Meliodas, Elizabeth was incredibly brave to ask to come with them. Most settlers in Skyrim would fright away from going into Nordic ruins, for fear of bandits, and other mystical creatures. Elizabeth had asked them herself, even when they explained it was to help fight dragons. She was anything but useless or dependent.

"You really think so?" Elizabeth looked into Meliodas's green eyes, full of hope. He smiled,

"I know so. C'mon, let's keep going. There can't be much further."


	3. Chapter 3: The Power of the Thu'um

**Hey guys, here's another chapter for you. I hope you guys enjoy my writing style, as I feel it can be repetitive and boring but that's just me. Anyway, I hope to be uploading a chapter every Sunday. I also hope to have written the next chapter during the week prior so that I always have one ready for you guys. if I get caught up, i might have to extend my release date but otherwise I hope to stick to this schedule. Also, many thanks to Sullina3 and c0c0cat for following this story, and to gluttonii for leaving a very helpful review!**

 **This is a tale like no other. Where myths and legends are a reality. In the land known as Skyrim, a great plague has fallen unto the people. On the break of war between two distinct sides, Skyrim grows more conflicted by the minute. But, there is more to this story than meets the eye. A great danger awakens from it's slumber, keen on reaping it's revenge on those that had sealed it away. In desperate times like these, the people of Skyrim look to the heavens for a sign of hope, for a savior to save them all. That savior, is the Dragonborn.**

 **-The Power of the Thu'um-**

One room led to another, tunnels connecting them, weaving back and forth. It was a maze, and Meliodas wondered whether they'd ever get out. Leading the way, as usual, Meliodas suddenly stopped, holding up his hand for everyone to do the same as well.

"You hear that?" Everyone stood still, perking their ears to listen for even the slightest sound out of the ordinary.

"Is someone coming? Is that you Hodvir? Somebody? Anyone?" A man's voice carried down the hall.

"Someone must be down there." King thought aloud.

"They sound like they need help!" Elizabeth worried.

"Or, it's another trap." King thought critically, "We should approach this carefully…"

"Agreed. Elizabeth, stay behind me." Elizabeth nodded and stood behind Meliodas.

"What about me?" Hawk grumbled. Meliodas grinned,

"Try and stay out of trouble." Hawk let out a 'humph' and trotted behind Elizabeth. King and Meliodas took point, leading the other two down the tunnel.

As they pressed on, it became noticeably humid. Silky strings of spider web became more apparent, hanging from the ceilings and torches embedded in the walls. Elizabeth shuddered. She could feel goosebumps pop up all over her arms. The further they ventured into the tomb, the worse she felt.

Elizabeth's fears worsened when they stumbled into a corpse, roped up in webbing, hanging from the ceiling. Unable to stop herself, she let out a startled scream, to which Meliodas quickly stifled with his hand.

"Shhh. Don't worry, he's dead." Meliodas slowly pulled his hand from Elizabeth's mouth.

"I-I'm ok. I was just startled, is all."

"What could've done this?" Meliodas wondered, poking at the carcass with his sword.

"A spider, _obviously_ ," King rolled his eyes at Meliodas. For someone so skilled at combat, he would've thought he'd have a bigger brain. "Question is; what kind of spider could do… _this_?"

"I don't know about you guys, but I don't want to be some insects meal… why don't we turn back?" Hawk suggested, earning him a whack on the head from Meliodas.

"We've gotten this far, if we turned back it'd be a waste. C'mon, I think we can handle a spider." King and Meliodas nodded towards each other knowingly.

"Hello? Please is somebody there? Help me!" The voice called again. Meliodas instinctively reached for his sword. Elizabeth stood forward,

"That person needs help! They were probably strung up by the spider! C'mon." With a sudden change in attitude, Elizabeth took the lead, surprising both Meliodas and King. Sharing a shrug, the two followed her down a hall branching off to the left.

The hall led to several doorways, though each inaccessible. While one was covered with rocks, a small opening allowed vision into the room on the other side. The other door was covered in thick webbing. Elizabeth peered in the small hole through the rubble. On the other side, webbing covered everything. Small sacs of what she could only guess were eggs, stood around in small clusters. Bodies of assorted creatures hung from the ceiling, enveloped in the spider's thick web.

"Oh! Thank god! Somebody! Hey, over here! Help! Please, you have to cut me down!" At the end of the room, tangled up in the spread of webbing, hung a man. He was stuck to the wall, with only his head free from the webbing's grasp.

"Hold on! We're coming!" Elizabeth shouted back. She carefully climbed down the pile of rubble, and turned towards Meliodas, "We have to get him out of there! Can't we do something?" Meliodas frowned.

"All right. Stand back, I'll try and cut through this webbing." Drawing his sword, Meliodas held the blade above his head. Meliodas yelled out as he swung down his sword. The blade sliced through the webbing easily. However, there were several layers of webbing which needed to be cut. Not wasting any time, he swung again, and again, until the webbing finally came loose.

"Quick! Before it comes back!" The man pleaded. Meliodas hopped through the doorway, followed by King, Elizabeth, and finally Hawk. "Hurry, cut me down!" Meliodas took not more than two steps before a dark shadow apparated on the floor.

"Look out!" Elizabeth screamed.

"Ah! Kill it! Kill it! Get it away from me! Get it away!" The man screamed in horror. Meliodas scrambled backwards, bringing his sword up in defense. From the ceiling, in a dark hole, eight hairy legs accompanied by a large, brown body, descended. It was a…

"SPIDER!" Hawk screamed in terror. It was larger than any spider Meliodas had ever seen. It was about as tall as him, and a little over a dozen feet in width counting it's legs. The spider hissed ferociously at the presence of more intruders. It's two large fangs glistened with poison, ready to disperse the new invaders.

Meliodas hung back, unsure of how to approach the giant insect. If he got too close, the spider would no doubt grab him. It's eight hairy legs flitted about, making it difficult to focus on. If he tried swinging at it's legs, it might dodge him, and bite him with it's fangs. While Meliodas was still contemplating on how to approach the spider, King took action.

Chastiefol rose into the air, awaiting King's command. With the flick of his wrist, the spear flew at incredible speed towards the spider's head. The spider, sensing the approaching projectile, swiftly scuttled out of the way. Chastiefol slammed into the wall, embedding its blade deep into the rock.

 _Oh no_

King tried frantically to pull it out through his enchantments, but to no avail. King looked towards Meliodas, "I've got to get my spear back!"

"Not with that thing in the way!" Meliodas kept his eyes on the spider, the two moving back and forth, as if waiting for the other to strike.

"Distract it for me, I'll try and move around it!"

"Be careful!" Elizabeth called from behind Meliodas. Hawk hugged onto her leg in fright. Elizabeth carefully reached into her back pocket, pulling out a steel dagger. It was her only weapon. Looking back at the spider, she doubted it would prove to do much damage, if any at all.

Meanwhile, King kept his back to the wall, sliding towards Chastiefol carefully as Meliodas distracted the spider. King slid under where Chastiefol hung, and turned around. Meliodas swung defensively at the spider, earning a hiss in response. King leapt into the air as high as his small legs would carry him. His fingertips grazed the handle of the spear.

"Almost… got it…" King jumped again, his hands slipped over it's grip. "One… more… time… c'mon… " King jumped again, this time, his hands grasped onto the handle tightly.

 _Yes!_

King brought up his legs, placing them against the wall. Using what little might he possessed, he against the rocks. Chastiefol barely budged. King pushed again, twisting and turning the handle, hoping it would help pry it loose. The blade turned slightly, falling out of it's place.

 _Great! One more push and I'll come free-_

"AH!"

King screamed. The spider hissed menacingly at King, approaching its prey with delight. Like a fly caught in a web, King backed up fearfully against the rocks, his escape blocked off. The spider had him cornered. Meliodas had been swept aside by the spider's legs, and was laying on the ground, trying to orient himself. King closed his eyes, waiting for the imminent sting of death. King waited, but nothing came. Only the loud screeching of the insect filled his ears. Cracking one eye open, King looked around. A small dagger lay embedded in the spider's thorax.

Enraged at the disturbance of his meal, the spider turned around angrily, it's pincers opening and closing excitedly. A new meal had presented itself, this time, completely defenseless. Elizabeth scuffled backwards before tripping over her own foot. She hit the ground on her bottom, and began scooting backwards from the spider.

"Somebody! Help!" Elizabeth screamed in terror.

"AAAAARRRGGHHH!" Suddenly, Meliodas appeared, jumping in the air with his sword pointed downward. With a mighty swing, Meliodas plunged his sword into the spider's head, impaling it on the ground. The spider let out a gurgled hiss, the venom seeping from it's mouth. It's legs flailed about before slowly becoming still. When he was sure the spider was dead, Meliodas ripped out his sword. Green blood glistened on the sword's side and began leaking out of the spider's carcass.

"Is it dead? Is it safe now?" The voice of the man reminded them of his presence. Giving it one final tug, King ripped Chastiefol from the wall and walked over to Meliodas and the others.

"Thanks Elizabeth, you saved my hide out there." Elizabeth brushed the dirt off her back and let out a sigh of relief.

"I'm just glad it's over. Sir Meliodas came just in time." Elizabeth smiled gratefully at Meliodas.

"Hey! Hello? Remember me? Cut me down already!" The man yelled from the other end of the room. The group walked over to where he stood lay strung up.

"Meliodas, could you cut him loose? I don't think my knife will cut through…" Meliodas hesitated. Although he admired Elizabeth's desire to help people in need, he had his doubts about cutting this man loose. In a tomb, infested with bandits and other dangerous creatures, Meliodas doubted this man had honorable intentions.

"Wait." Meliodas held up his hand, "I want to ask him something first." The man rolled his eyes,

"You've got to be kidding me!"

"What are you doing here? Why are you here? Who are you?"

"I'm Arvel. I'm here for the same reason as you! I'm here for the treasure! If you cut me loose, we can share it!" Meliodas shook his head in disapproval,

"No, no, no. I don't think so. Why should I trust you? You look like the thieving type…"

"Meliodas!" Elizabeth protested. King shushed her.

"You'll have to. You need me. I'm the only one who knows how the claw, the markings, and the door in the hall of stories work! Cut me down, and I'll show you. You won't believe the power the Nords have hidden here." Meliodas crossed his arms. In all truth, he doubted that neither he, King, Elizabeth, or Hawk knew anything about the supposed 'door in the hall of stories', and the 'claw'. Thought he wondered if such things were real at all.

"Show me this claw first." Meliodas demanded. Arvel groaned,

"Does it look like I can move? Just cut me down first!" Arvel yelled angrily, twisting his bound arms back and forth.

"Meliodas just cut him down!" Letting loose a sigh, Meliodas swung his sword at the webs entangling Arvel. With two swift swings, the webs holding Arvel against the wall came loose, letting him fall to the floor. Arvel rolled over and stood up, regaining his composure. When he had finished brushing himself off, he smirked.

"Sorry, but I've got a treasure to get to…" Before anyone could grab him, Arvel dashed down the now opened tunnel behind him.

"After him!" Meliodas yelled angrily. He knew it. Arvel was nothing more than one of the bandits from earlier, He had accidentally gotten himself ensnared by the Spider, and used them to set him free. Now, he was making a break for it, carrying the information he held with him. Meliodas sprinted ahead of the others, tailing Arvel. He was surprisingly fast and nimble, easily dodging Meliodas as he grabbed at him.

"Get back here!" Meliodas commanded. Arvel laughed and continued down the hallway. The hall made a sudden left turn, which put Arvel out of Meliodas's sight. He was about to round the hallway after him, when he heard an ear-splitting scream.

"EEUAAAAGGGHHH!" It was Arvel's voice. He screamed in terror before quickly falling silent. Meliodas hid at the corner of the hall, listening for Arvel. King lined up next to him, followed by Elizabeth and Hawk.

"What is it? Where's Arvel?" Elizabeth asked. Meliodas pointed to around the corner, then drew a finger across his neck. Elizabeth gasped in shock. Meliodas turned back towards the hall, and slowly peeked over the corner.

Just around the corner, stood three people. To say they were people was merely a complement to their figure, as they were, at least at one point, human. Their skin had long since rotted away, leaving only strands and clumps of skin clinging to their apparent skeletons. Bright blue eyes glowed from their eye sockets.

"What is it?" King asked. Meliodas switched with King so he could have a look. King peered over the corner and looked back to the others, "Draugrs. Old dead nords come back to life to guard tombs. Looks like Arvel bit the dust." King looked over to Arvel's corpse. He had been impaled on one of the Draugr greatswords, and kicked to the side. King was about to turn back to Meliodas when his eyes spotted something out of the ordinary. Next to Arvel's body, lay a small, golden, metal claw.

"Look! It looks like Arvel wasn't kidding about the claw." Meliodas and Elizabeth peeked over.

"Alright, King, on three we take them down. I'll take the one on the right, you take the one on the left. When they're finished, we'll both take down the one in the middle, agreed?" King nodded,

"Agreed."

"Elizabeth, stay here, we'll take care of it." Meliodas smiled.

"B-But I want to help!" Elizabeth protested. Meliodas shook his head,

"You've done enough already. Just watch over Hawk for me." Elizabeth pouted,

"You never let me help… I'm not some child to be watched over…"

"That's my line!" Hawk chimed in.

Meliodas and King stood at the ready.

"Ready? One… two… three!" The two boys jumped out, lashing at their opponents. The two draugr fell instantly to their blades, leaving the last one by itself. Pulling his blade out of the draugr's stomach, Meliodas charged at the last Draugr, screaming wildly. Before he could even lay a blow, Chastiefol impaled the Draugr's head on the wall. Meliodas watched in surprised as it's body crumbled before him. Turning back to King, he raised an eyebrow,

"You know, you're not bad in combat." King smiled proudly,

"Thank you I-"

"You know, if it weren't for your childish looks you might actually look threatening." Meliodas joked. King grumbled in annoyance,

"Shut up! Let's just go already." King stormed off down the hall. Elizabeth looked at Meliodas disapprovingly.

"What?" He asked obliviously. Elizabeth shook her head disappointedly and walked after King.

Just when King thought they were getting along, he just had to bring up how he looked like a child. There was nothing King hated more than being called a child. It was his insecurity. People always looked down on him, treated him unfairly because of his looks. And it cost him his sister.

 **Four Years ago ~ Somewhere in the Rift**

King whipped the reins gently, egging the horses onward. They let out a light whinney and complied, moving at a faster pace. Up ahead, a cobblestone bridge crossed over the river. They would need to cross it if they wanted to get to Whiterun faster. Elaine, his sister, sighed,

"I'm so tired King. When are we going to rest?" She closed her eyes, resting her head on King's shoulder. King laughed,

"And you said I'm the one who's always sleepy. Don't worry, we'll stop just over this bridge a ways. Then we'll set up camp and rest till tomorrow." Elaine hummed her approval. The horse's hooves clopped on the stone as they made their way over the bridge. They were on their way to Whiterun. Rumors spread of the Jarl looking for a Court Wizard. Both King and Elaine were skilled in the use of magic, and hoped to finally land a secure job, and settle down. While Elaine still had much to learn, King was prepared to teach her, so they could both enhance their skills. Still, they were tired. They had been moving for so long; they missed having a house and settling down.

The horses came to the end of the bridge, when three men appeared from under the bridge. Each one was clad in some rough leather studded armor and held assorted weapons loosely in their hands. King's heartbeat raced, his palms turned sweaty.

 _Bandits_

"All right you too. End of the road." One of the bandits, to which King presumed was their leader, spoke up. He was the heaviest of the three, with a large belly and thick arms which he used to hold his warhammer. The man on his right was skinny, frail looking, and resembled a racoon, with deep bags under his eyes. Next to him, on the left, stood the most peculiar man of the group. He was skinny, yet strong looking, with large muscles and a serious look on his face. His white hair stood out, along with a light scar under his chin. Elaine jolted up from her sleeping position, and looked around.

"W-What's going on? King what's going on?" She asked him. King furrowed his eyebrows in disgust,

"Bandits. Don't worry Elaine I'll handle this." King stood up from his seat on the wagon. "We'll pay whatever you ask. How much?" King insisted. The three men laughed.

"This isn't a toll fee, this is a robbery. Now get out, I'm not going to ask again." The fat leader pointed his warhammer at King. King's blood boiled; How could these men be so cruel? Couldn't they see that they were willing to cooperate? Why must they loot and steal from everyone? Why?

King steadied his temper, and slowly stepped out of the wagon. After setting foot on the ground, he helped Elaine get out. Just as he Elaine set foot on the ground, one of the bandits grabbed King from behind. It was the skinny frail one. King lashed out, trying to strike the man, but to no avail. He held King by his neck, and with one swift pull, he could end his life there and then. King stopped moving upon realizing his predicament, and stared furiously at the other bandits.

"Let us go! We've done you no wrong!" The leader laughed.

"All the better. Makes you easy prey." The fat man strode over to Elaine, who was cowering behind the cart. "Hello… who do we have here?" Elaine screamed and attempted to run, only to run into the man with white hair. He looked down on her with a blank expression, then held her tightly in his arms.

"Who might this peculiar person be? My my, she's quite pretty isn't she? Mmm yes, she is. Tell me, child, how old might you be?"

"Don't you dare touch her you bastard! I'll kill you! I'll kill you if you touch her, I swear!" King wrestled with his captor's hold, but found no success. The leader and the racoon faced bandit laughed evilly, while the man with white hair stood silently.

" _You know, if it weren't for your childish looks boy, you might actually look threatening."_ The leader looked over to King and walked over to him. "Hm… it's too bad really. I was hoping I wouldn't have to resort to this." Before King could utter a response, the bandit slammed his hammer into King's stomach.

"KING!" Elaine yelled in horror. King fell backwards, falling over the edge of the stone bridge and into the river. "KING NO!" He couldn't hear her screams. He couldn't feel anything but pain. The horrible pain. The immense pain that roared inside his chest. He could feel a warm substance leaking out of his mouth as he fell. Blood. Blood flooded his mouth. His body fell into the water, enveloped by it's cold embrace. King fell limp, succumbing to his body's cry for rest. He could not move. He could not speak. He felt dead.

He closed his eyes. He could feel the current pulling his body down the river. He only hoped it would deposit him by some town, where someone could find him. He thought of Elaine. He had failed her. It only he had been a strong, tough looking man, he could've intimidated those bandits into letting them go. Instead, he was a weak, pathetic looking boy with childish looks and a weak composure.

He felt a new substance hit his back. Sand. It's soft, warm, grainy texture sucked him onto the bank of the river. It made no difference. King felt himself slipping away. However, as he was losing consciousness, he felt something else. Another strange surface touched his back. It was warm, and soft. It enveloped him, and lifted him of the ground. A kind, light, gentle voice called out to him,

"Don't worry! I've got you! You're going to be alright!" The voice pleaded. It was a young woman's voice. Was he dead? Had he died, and now the angels were calling to him, bringing him to sovngarde? He couldn't think it over. King couldn't think anymore.

"Hold on!" The gentle voice pleaded. King couldn't hold on. Finally, King could bear it no more, and fell unconscious.

King woke up with a start, sitting up, full of sweat. Where was he? King looked around; he was in a room, with wooden walls and a small window on his right. The bed he was in was covered in animal furs, which were incredibly soft and warm. King was confused. How had he ended up here? Who saved him? And most importantly, where was Elaine?

"Elaine! Elaine?!" King called out frantically. He threw the covers off his body, and placed his feet on the floor. He tried to stand up, but his knees gave way, sending him to the floor.

"Agh!" He screamed in pain. His stomach and legs felt numb. He could barely move. Clawing at the wooden floorboards, he tried pulling himself towards the door. "Elaine! Elaine!" He called out quietly. Just then, a pair of shoes appeared at the door.

"Gods! Why are you out of your bed?" It was a woman. An elderly woman. She quickly picked King up by his sides and gently maneuvered him back onto his bed. King grunted as she moved his legs. "They still hurt don't they? I'll bet they do. You were pretty banged up when we found you." King's eyes opened in surprise,

"You… you saved me?" The old woman shook her head.

"No. We were lucky. Someone must've taken care of you while you were knocked out. We found you by the riverbed, covered in animal hides and medicinal herbs. Someone was trying to save you from the looks of it. Though I don't know why they left you there. It's quite strange."

"Did you find anyone else? A girl? Around my height, with bright blonde hair and bright blue eyes?" The old woman shook her head sadly.

"No dear, I'm afraid we didn't. Was someone with you?" King looked out the window worriedly.

"My sister. We were attacked by bandits-OUCH!" The old woman had gently touched his chest while looking at his wounds.

"Well that would explain _this_. I'm sorry, but we didn't find anyone else. You were lucky as it. Maybe your sister was saved by the same person that helped you?" The woman continued to inspect his wounds.

 _I wonder… who would save me, then leave me all alone? Who is my mysterious savior? The gods? And where is Elaine? If I ever find those bandits again… I'll kill them… I promise Elaine… I'll kill them…_

 **Present ~ Bleak Falls Barrow, Inner Tomb**

He never forgave himself for that day. If only he had acted tougher, stronger, he could've protected Elaine. He could've saved her. Now, all he could do was work for the Jarl, and carry on what remained of his family. He did it, for Elaine.

Meliodas walked silently behind King, his face full of concern.

"Are you alright? I'm sorry about what I said before. I didn't mean any offense…" King nodded.

"It's alright. They never do. Look," King decided to change the subject, "There's a cave up ahead. The ruins stop here. Maybe we're here?" Meliodas looked around. The old nordic ruins ended with a doorway, which then led into a wide cave. Small tufts of moss grew on rocks, where raindrops pattered from the ends of stalactites.

"Wow… look at that… it's beautiful…" Elizabeth gasped in awe. Just further down the cave, the walls and ceiling opened up to a giant cavern. A large waterfall poured down from the large cracks in the ceiling, forming a small pool of water on the floor. Broad rays of sunlight burst through other cracks in the ceiling, lighting up the entire cavern without a single torch. In the center of the cavern, stone steps led to a giant stone wall, with complex inscriptions carved into them. Next to the wall, lay a tomb, covered and sealed away, probably for centuries.

"Look at all of this... " Hawk exclaimed. King walked over to the wall, running his hand across the etched words.

"Strange… it's in dragon language…" Meliodas walked over to the wall. Halfway there, he began to feel a strange feeling. A warm, soothing feeling wafted over him, penetrating his skin and seeping into his soul. He was overwhelmed. Meliodas fell to his knees, clutching his chest.

"Sir Meliodas? What's the matter? Are you hurt?" Elizabeth ran to his side. Meliodas stood still, as if preoccupied with something. "Meliodas?" Elizabeth asked again. She waved her hand in front of his face, but received no response.

"What's the matter with him?" Hawk wondered. King knelt down next to him, and looked at his eyes. They were vacant looking, empty.

"I'm not sure. Maybe he's-"

 _CRACK_

From behind them, the tomb suddenly burst open, its lid flying off the bottom and crashing into the ground. The three watched in shock as a Draugr sat up. It looked about, searching for the one's who had disturbed his tomb. King didn't hesitate to act. Raising Chastiefol into the air, he sent the razor sharp spear towards the Deathlord at frightening speed,

"Arrrgggh!" He groaned as he flipped his wrist, spiraling the spear as it planted itself into the Draugr's chest. The blow knocked him backward, bending him over and causing him to fall to his knees. To everyone's amazement, the Draugr stood back up. The Deathlord opened it's mouth and screamed. It's scream was piercing, and sounded like a dying wolf crying for help. When it had finished, it firmly grasped Chastiefol, and with one great tug, threw the spear to the side.

"Grrraaaaahhhh!" It screamed, bringing up it's ancient sword as it ran towards the three.

"Meliodas look out!" Elizabeth pulled the vacant leader out of the Draugr's way, laying him on his back. "Sir Meliodas! Wake up! Wake up! We need you! Wake up!" Elizabeth pulled and shook him by his tunic. Meliodas continued staring into the ceiling, his eyes completely motionless.

"Not now Elizabeth! Focus on the Draugr!" Hawk reminded Elizabeth. She looked at Meliodas's sword. Without a second thought, she pulled his sword out from its sheath, and turned around towards the Draugr.

"I'm not useless! I can fight! I can help!" She shouted to herself.

"Careful Elizabeth! This isn't some ordinary Draugr! It's a Deathlord!" King called to her. Picking Chastiefol back up, he prepared for another attack. This time, he pulled out a potion from his bag, pulled out the cork, and sprinkled the liquid substance on the tip of his spear. Tossing the empty bottle aside, King rose the spear into position.

"Try this on for size!" Chastiefol flew through the air once more, striking the Draugr in it's back. The skin and bone surrounding the wound grew purple, and began to spread outward. The Draugr gave an enraged screech and pulled out Chastiefol. A bright light formed in its palm. Reaching one arm back, the Draugr quickly massaged the back where the wound lay. Within moments, the gash had healed itself back up.

"It can heal itself!" Hawk pointed out. King grimaced. This would be harder than he had thought. This Draugr wasn't some footman to be pushed aside. He was an elite, and powerful at that. It seemed standard attacks and potions wouldn't take this one down.

"Elizabeth, we need to strike him down together, otherwise he'll just keep healing himself!" King instructed. The Draugr charged at King, swinging carelessly at his head. King easily jumped aside, and lined up next to Elizabeth. She was so nervous, she was shaking.

 _I can help! I'm not useless! I can fight!_

The words bounced around in her head. She tightened her grip on the sword. "I CAN fight! I'm NOT useless! I can do this!" Bringing her arms up into an attack stance, she readied herself for King's command.

"Alright! Let's do this!" Hawk chimed in, standing next to Elizabeth. His short porky legs were bent at the knees, giving his best attack stance.

"Wait till he strikes, then we can all hit him together!" King instructed. The Draugr growled menacingly as it approached. It slowly approached them, holding it's sword tightly in its bony fingers. As it neared them, it's pace quickened. As it lunged, it raised swung its sword sideways in an attempt to swipe at all three of them. Elizabeth and King ducked, dodging the attack (Hawk was too short anyway), and jumped behind it.

"NOW!" Elizabeth and King brought down their arms with all their might, stabbing the Draugr in the spine. Chastiefol and Meliodas's sword sunk deep into the rotting skin, piercing the bones. Hawk angrily bit down on it's exposed ankle, tearing at the flesh and bone. The Draugr let out a shattered growl before falling silent. Slowly, the light in it's eyes faded until it no longer glowed.

"We did it… It's finally dead." Elizabeth sighed in relief. She did it. She didn't need to sit aside for once and watch as her sisters did the work for her, or as Meliodas protected her from bandits. She had saved _herself_.

"Easy for you to say! That guy tasted like death! Bleagh!" Hawk coughed and spit out pieces of rotten skin and cloth. King looked back at Meliodas.

"He's still not up? What's gotten into him?" Elizabeth followed King over to Meliodas's unmoving body. His eyes remained vacant as before.

"Sir Meliodas…" Elizabeth felt tears welling up in her eyes. Was he paralyzed? Was he injured? Was he… dead? Suddenly, a familiar growl sounded from behind them.

"You've gotta be kidding me! He's not dead?!" The Draugr stood, limping and hunched over, yet still alive. King readied Chastiefol while Elizabeth clutched Meliodas's sword. "Guess we'll have to finish this guy once and for all!" Before either of them could land a strike, Meliodas suddenly sat up. He opened his mouth, and shouted,

"FUS!"

A giant wave of blue light emanated from his mouth, and shot towards the unsuspecting Draugr. Like a giant wave, the blue light smacked into the Draugr, sending it flying into one of the stone pillars nearby. With a sickening _crack_ , the Draugr's back crumbled against the pressure of the unrelenting force against the stone. It's body fell, like a ragdoll, to the floor. Elizabeth, King, and Hawk stared at Meliodas in total awe.

"Wow… that was awesome." Meliodas could barely believed what had just happened. For a while, he was incapacitated. He felt as though something was flowing into him, some sort of power. In his mind, he heard the words,

' _HET NOK FaaL VahLOK DeiNMaaR DO DOVahGOLZ ahRK aaN FUS DO UNSLaaD RahGOL ahRK VULOM'._

When he opened his eyes, he felt a sudden rush of power to his head. The power crept up his throat, and pushed out his mouth, like a burp after too much ale. Only, this wasn't an ordinary burp. The blast sent the Draugr flying against the wall to it's death. What kind of power had he just been granted? How? And why? Maybe the words held the key. If King could translate it, maybe they would understand what had just happened.

"King…" Meliodas looked at the small mage, "Tell me, can you understand dragon language?" King nodded proudly,

"Yes, I can. It's a little sketchy, but I'm fairly certain I can make it out. Why?" Meliodas stood up and brushed the dirt off his back.

"I need you to translate these words; HET NOK FaaL VahLOK DeiNMaaR DO DOVahGOLZ ahRK aaN FUS DO UNSLaaD RahGOL ahRK VULOM." Meliodas spoke slowly, allowing King to hear and translate each word. King ran over the words slowly in his head, figuring out each syllable and consonant. It took him several minutes, causing him to pace back and forth while he thought it over. Finally, he understood,

"It means: "Here lies the Guardian, Keeper of the Dragonstone. And a Force of unending Rage and Darkness." King's eyes widened. "What you just did… that was in dragon language… you… you shouted…" He sat down on a nearby rock, rubbing his forehead in deep thought.

The concept of shouting was new to Meliodas, and he only stared at the others in confusion. Elizabeth carefully walked over to him and held out his sword.

"I believe this is yours?" Meliodas smiled and accepted the sword from her. Placing it back in it's sheath, Meliodas couldn't help but feel surprised.

"So, you used my sword to fight that thing? All by yourself?"

"I helped too." King interrupted. Meliodas ignored him. Elizabeth chuckled,

"It would appear so. I saw you on the ground like that and got scared you were hurt. So, I took your sword and helped King fight it off while you… uh… slept." She paused, pushing her pointer fingers together awkwardly, "I hope that's alright…" Meliodas laughed at her timidness.

"Of course. You probably just saved my life." Elizabeth smiled and winked at him,

"Then I guess the score's even!"

"Hey, Meliodas," King interjected, "I don't think what we came here for was a tablet…" Meliodas raised an eyebrow,

"What do you mean? Was this all for nothing?" King nodded knowingly,

"No. I only heard of rumors of a stone tablet, I didn't know whether or not they were true. However, the description for it's purpose matches that of this stone wall here." Meliodas wasn't following him,

"So what are you saying?"

"I'm saying that there is no tablet, only this wall here. And now, the power we need to learn and defeat the dragons resides in you. It came to you, the power, the Thu'um. You shouted back there. That can only mean one thing." Meliodas continued to be lost in King's thoughts. What was he getting at? Growing a bit frustrated, Meliodas rubbed his forehead,

"And that is? What?"

"You are the Dovahkiin. The _Dragonborn_."


	4. Chapter 4: The Dragon

**Author's Note: Just to clarify things, this little intro will be repeated on every chapter, just as they do for the animated series. If you already know it, feel free to skip over it, I just put it there for effect. Also, I'd just like to say that I don't know exactly where this story is going, but I hope that you guys enjoy it. Now, back to our tale of woe:**

 **This is a tale like no other. Where myths and legends are a reality. In the land known as Skyrim, a great plague has fallen unto the people. On the break of war between two distinct sides, Skyrim grows more conflicted by the minute. But, there is more to this story than meets the eye. A great danger awakens from it's slumber, keen on reaping it's revenge on those that had sealed it away. In desperate times like these, the people of Skyrim look to the heavens for a sign of hope, for a savior to save them all. That savior, is the Dragonborn.**

 **-The Dragon-**

"I'm… I'm a what?" Meliodas had only heard the term a few times in his childhood, from stories and fairytales. Still, his memory had failed him in remembering what exactly the Dragonborn was. King looked at Meliodas, a twinkle in his eye,

"Skyrim legend tells of a hero known as Dragonborn…" King began,

"A warrior with the body of a mortal…" Elizabeth continued,

"And the soul of a dragon…" Hawk chimed in,

"Whose destiny it is to destroy the evil dragon Alduin." King finished.

Meliodas stood, dumbfounded. He was the _Dragonborn_? What did this mean? How did they all know what this meant? Who was Alduin, and why was he destined to defeat him? Meliodas had so many questions, so many unanswered inquiries that he didn't know how to respond. He sat back down, staring into oblivion wondering what it meant to be Dragonborn.

King was about to speak when Elizabeth cut him off. He watched as she swiftly walked over to Meliodas, and sat down next to him. Carefully, she brought her arm around his shoulder, and pulled him into a gentle hug.

"Are you alright?" She asked. Meliodas was silent. He was unsure. Was he alright? Finally he spoke,

"I'm not sure… what does this mean exactly?" Meliodas wondered aloud. King stood forward.

"Perhaps I can shed some light on this subject?" He inquired happily, "The Dragonborn is a mortal being of any race or gender, capable of absorbing dragon souls and wielding the Thu'um at his fingertips. He holds immense power, and can master shouts almost instantly. It is said that only he is capable of defeating Alduin…" Meliodas wasn't following him,

"Alduin?"

"Yes, Alduin the World Eater. One of the most powerful dragons ever to have existed. Long ago, the dragons ruled over men with an iron fist. They saw us as nothing more than insects. Then, mankind decided to fight back, which began The Dragon War…"

"Oh, I know this tale. My father used to read it to me when I was young!" Elizabeth interjected. King bowed, allowing her to continue, "Mankind was no match for the powerful dragons. Man's forces crumbled under the might of the dragons. That was, until, Paarthurnax betrayed them. He taught man how to use the voice, the Thu'um."

Meliodas was catching on. It had taken him a while, but it was all slowly beginning to come back to him. He too had heard the tale as a child. In a book, labeled _The Dragonborn_ , his father used to read it to him late at night, just before bed. It was one of his favorite books.

"I remember now…" Meliodas carefully interrupted Elizabeth. He rose his hand, to speak, "And thanks to Paarthurnax, man defeated Alduin using the Elder Scroll, sending him forward in time. And now he's here." Meliodas finished. Now he knew what he had to do. They all did. It was written in stone; Meliodas would kill Alduin the World Eater. He would kill the dragons, and save Skyrim from it's impending doom.

"Hey…" Meliodas looked up to see Hawk standing by his knees, "You ok Captain?" The pig asked. Quite frankly, he most certainly wasn't ok. Only moments ago, he was a simple sellsword, trying to earn some cash while having a bit of fun on the side. Now… now he was the dragonborn. A powerful being capable of defeating the grand master dragon and saving the world. It was such a burden… such a responsibility to hold. He wasn't sure if he was ready for it. Meliodas looked up; King, Elizabeth, and Hawk looked down worriedly, wondering if he truly was, 'ok'. He couldn't let them down. He would need to be strong. For his friends, and for Skyrim. Breaking out his signature grin, he stood up and smiled.

"Of course. We'd better head out. I think we should tell the Jarl of our discovery here. Maybe he can lead us in the next direction." Picking himself up, and throwing his backpack on his back, Meliodas prepared to head out. The others merely stared at him, "Well? Are you guys coming or what?" He taunted. Elizabeth smiled happily and skipped after him.

King followed suit, a smirk on his face. It amazed him how brave Meliodas had become. From a simple bartender, to the Dragonborn in only a few days. Only a few people could brave up to such a responsibility.

 **Whiterun ~ Just outside the stables**

The journey back to Whiterun was surprisingly quiet and uneventful. It almost felt anticlimactic to Meliodas. After discovering that he was the Dragonborn, he felt as though he would have some sort of revelation, some sort of dramatic understanding of his powers. Yet he felt nothing. He knew what he was, but that didn't make him any more different than when he was a bartender. He was still Meliodas. He was still _himself_.

"Are you alright Sir Meliodas?" Elizabeth had noticed his unusual silence, and decided to investigate. Meliodas sighed,

"I'm not sure. I mean… I'm the Dragonborn… "

"Yes, you are. This is a great thing Meliodas. This is a great thing indeed." King interjected. The two ignored him. Elizabeth listened as Meliodas continued,

"It's just… I'm not sure how I'm supposed to feel. It's a bit anticlimactic you know? Was I supposed to have some sort of Revelation back there? Fight some sort of beast to unleash my powers? I don't know." He shrugged, letting out a joking laugh. Elizabeth rubbed her arm, upset that she didn't have the answers to his questions,

"I don't know either Sir Meliodas… but I'm sure we'll find out soon." She gave him her best smile, to which he smiled back.

 _At least he's taking it well…_ thought Elizabeth.

The stables of Whiterun lay only a short walk away from the main gate, separated only by a small winding path over a drawbridge. Oftentimes, a carriage rider would sit, waiting for people to hire his services. Guards could be seen in small wooden towers overlooking the small path, and guarding the drawbridge. When the small group meandered through, however, there were scarcely any guards.

"Where is everyone?" Meliodas wondered aloud. His question was answered when a young guard - of which he was only able to tell because he wasn't wearing his helmet - ran toward them from his post at the main gates. Meliodas had half expected the boy to come straight to him, seeing as he was the Dragonborn and all. He was slightly surprised when he was completely ignored, and the guard turned straight to King. He would have to remember that not everyone knew he was the Dragonborn (he had only just found out himself).

"Sir King! Praise Talos, you're back! Jarl Balgruuf is in urgent need of your services! You're needed at Dragonsreach immediately!" The boy panted. Pulling the straps on his backpack, King straightened his posture,

"What's the matter? Is the Jarl alright? What's going on?" King questioned the boy as he pushed open the gates.

"It's a Dragon sir! A real Dragon!"

 **Dragonsreach**

Jarl Balgruuf paced back and forth. It had been days since he had heard of King and his comrades, and the dragon threat had only increased in their absence. Only just a few hours ago, a dragon had destroyed the Western Watchtower, and he was no closer as to understanding how to defeat the beasts. Irileth, his faithful bodyguard and housecarl, stood at his side, awaiting instruction.

 **Irileth ~ Balgruuf's Housecarl**

"What am I supposed to do Irileth? King is not back, and I'll not stand idly by while my people are slaughtered!" Balgruuf rubbed his temple and sat down on his throne. Irileth stepped closer to him, so that she was once again standing at his side,

"My Jarl, we need to strike back. As you said, we cannot just stand by and let our people be killed. We need to assemble a strike force, and attack!" Balgruuf nodded,

"Alright then, you have my blessings. Assemble a group of men and take them to the watchtower." Irileth knelt before him and raised her fist to her heart - a sign of honor.

"I've already mustered my men outside the barracks. We'll move right away." Before Irileth could stand back up, the giant wooden doors at the entrance were pushed open. Balgruuf watched as a young guard pulled along with him none other than his court wizard, King, and his comrades-in-arms.

"King! Shor's bones, I thought you'd never return!" King had never seen the Jarl so excited to see him in all his years of service. Remembering his courtesy, he immediately bowed down in the presence of the Jarl.

"My Jarl, I have returned with great news, Sir Meliodas here-" Jarl Balgruuf ignored the pleasantries and quickly pulled King back up by his shoulders.

"You came just in time. We've received reports of a Dragon near the Western Watchtower. One of our guards returned, saying that the Dragon had almost completely destroyed it." The Jarl began walking with King, pulling him along as they walked towards the end of the hall and his throne. "I'm sorry we haven't the time to discuss this further, but I seriously need you assistance. I'm sending you and your friends here with Irileth and a small group of soldiers to the watchtower. Use whatever you've learned about the Dragons, and help us defeat this beast King. I'm counting on you and Irileth here." Upon finishing his command, the Jarl resided back into his chair, and resumed thinking of the troublesome issues plaguing Whiterun.

"But Jarl Balgruuf, I need to tell you-" Irileth cut him off before he could finish.

"You heard the Jarl, suit up! We need to move fast if we're going to catch that Dragon! Follow me, I'll gather the troops and we'll be off." Grasping the hilt of her sword, Irileth led the way past the wooden doors, and out towards the Whiterun guard barracks.

King looked back at his new friends, his face completely serious, "Alright! You heard her! Let's go!" He commanded, running out after Irileth. Meliodas rolled his eyes, grinning as he slowly walked after King.

"As soon as we step back in here, he acts like he's back in command or something…" He looked towards Elizabeth and drew his sword, "Well, are you ready for another adventure?" Elizabeth nodded without hesitation. As long as he was with her, she would go anywhere. With that said, the two dashed off after King, leaving only Hawk behind.

"Why am I always dragged into these things? Don't people ever want to hear what I have to say?"

"No."

"HEY!"

 **Whiterun ~ The Main Gate**

"Here's the situation men," Irileth stood in front of a small band of whiterun guards. It was a small group, of about fifteen men, each wearing the city's iconic Lion insignia on their yellow clothed mail armor. Most of them held swords, however, a small few held bows slung over their shoulders. Meliodas hoped their arrows would be strong enough to pierce the Dragon's scales…

"A dragon is attacking the Western Watchtower," Irileth continued. The word raised alarm in many of the men, causing murmurs and whispers between them. "You heard me right, a Dragon. I don't care much where it came from or who sent it. What I do know, is that it made the mistake of attacking Whiterun!" One of the guards stood forward,

"But housecarl… how can we fight a dragon? Can it even be killed?" More murmurs emitted from the troops as worry grew amongst them. Irileth shook her head,

"Of course it can be killed. Every creature can. Now, I know none of us have ever seen a dragon before, or expected to face one in battle, but we are honorbound to fight it. This dragon is threatening our homes… our families. Could you call yourselves nords if you ran from this monster? Are you going to let me face this thing alone?!"

"NO!" The men yelled in unison, their morality building as Irileth spoke. King, followed by the others, trotted down to meet the others.

"Ah, King. It's good to know that we'll have a wizard on our side when we fight this beast." Irileth spoke confidently, patting King on the back. While it was a friendly gesture, her strength, added to his exhaustion from running, nearly caused King to topple over. King nodded confidently back to Irileth,

"And we have my comrades as well; they'll be assisting us in the fight." King gestured towards the others. He soon wished he hadn't. Meliodas sat on top of a barrel, looking off into the sky with an ale in one hand. He turned his head upon being mentioned, only to have the barrel fall out from under him and roll into Hawk, knocking him over with a startled squeal. Elizabeth timidly waved towards the others, then dropped her dagger out of nervousness. King watched pitifully as Elizabeth scrambled to pick up her weapon, and as Meliodas and Hawk straightened themselves out. King could feel the embarrassment flush over his face. From his right, he heard Irileth sigh heavily,

"So… you've brought us a drunkard… a wench… and… a pig." The three were quick to protest,

"I am NOT a wench! I own a respectable business!" Elizabeth pouted, crossing her arms angrily.

"And I'm NOT just a pig! I'm the Captain of Scraps Disposal!" Hawk added.

"And I'm NOT a…" Meliodas rose his hand to protest then allowed it to fall back to his side with a grin, "Well, actually, I am a drunkard." He laughed. Irileth groaned and turned back to King.

"Look, I don't have time for this so either send them home or just… keep them out of our way. They're your responsibility." Irileth shook her head in disappointment and pushed past King, throwing open Whiterun's main gates. "Let's move out."

 **On the road to the Western Watchtower**

Meliodas slacked behind the others. He, Elizabeth, and Hawk walked slightly behind them, while King walked next to Irileth. Meliodas felt the annoyed stares coming from the other guardsmen. No doubt, they were wondering why these peculiar people were tagging along in a dragon hunt. He knew he didn't exactly look like the warrior type. Much like King, Meliodas was short for his age, and had a young face. Add onto that his poor clothing, and he looked like nothing more than a common beggar with a sword.

"I don't think they like us." Hawk whispered aloud. Elizabeth nodded,

"I don't think they do either Sir Hawk. Still, we are doing the right thing. Who knows? Maybe killing this dragon will help Sir Meliodas." She looked towards him with a hopeful smile. Meliodas shrugged,

"You're guess is as good as mine. I don't even know how to summon that shout I did back in Bleak Falls Barrow…"

"Maybe someone can teach you?" Elizabeth wondered.

"I can't think of anyone who can."

"Maybe Sir King knows?" Meliodas looked over to King, who was currently in the middle of an intense conversation with Irileth. He rolled his eyes,

"I think we should wait till later."

"Look! There it is!" One of the guards quietly yelled out. In an instant, everyone was crouched down low, and had their weapons drawn.

A nearby rock ledge provided cover from the cobblestone road. Irileth led the party behind the rock, and peered over the ledge. Just down the road, giant plumes of smoke rose into the air. The Watchtower was destroyed. Rocks and pillars of what once constructed walls and towers lay scattered about like building blocks. Piles of wood and bodies burned brightly, leaving black trails of smoke drifting high into the sky. Only one tower truly remained, and it seemed to be in terrible condition. The tower had several holes, and looked as if it were ready to topple any moment now.

"No signs of any dragon right now, but it sure looks like he's been here." Irileth stood up and sheathed her sword.

"Look at the damage… there's barely anything left… this Dragon must be at least twice the size of a house in order to do that kind of damage…" King analyzed. He stood next to Irileth, studying the wreckage. Irileth turned back towards the guards,

"I know it looks bad, but we've got to figure out what happened. And if that Dragon is still skulking around somewhere." Pulling herself up over the rocky ledge, Irileth drew her sword, "Spread out, and look for survivors. We need to know what we're dealing with." The guards did as they were told, quickly fanning out in a perimeter around the watchtower.

 **Western Watchtower**

Meliodas yawned and drew his sword as well. King waited for the others while Irileth led the guards to search the wreckage.

"Sorry about before. Shall we search the remains?" Elizabeth and Hawk followed Meliodas as he and King walked after Irileth. The four adventurers wandered into what used to be the courtyard, surrounded by a tall stone wall. Now, all that was left were small portions of the wall here and there, piles of rubble, and burning wood. A stench quickly found its way into their nostrils, causing them to cover their noses.

"What in the blazes is that smell?" King gagged. Meliodas looked over to a small fire near the rubble. Two bodies lay heaped over one another. Their bodies were ablaze, and had been for some time. All that remained were their scorched skeletons, covered in black ash and tattered clothing. Their shields had done nothing to protect them; all that was left was the metal lining and grasp.

"That's the smell of death, King." Irileth appeared behind them. She had her hands on her hips, and was glaring at the destruction around her, "We'll make this beast pay for what it's done…"

While the boys spoke with Irileth, Elizabeth and Hawk wandered towards the crippled watchtower. Slowly, she approached the damaged building, carefully eying the walls for any signs of collapse.

"Maybe we shouldn't go in here Elizabeth… it doesn't look safe…" Hawk whimpered from her side.

"We'll just be a moment Sir Hawk… don't worry about it. If we see any signs of it collapsing, we'll run right out…" Hawk grumbled and shuffled after her, keeping his eyes on the walls and loose bricks. Inside was in just as bad condition as the outside. Barely anything remained. Wooden shelves and weapon racks were shattered by large stones. Rubble covered most of the stairway.

"See? There's nothing here. C'mon let's go…" Hawk continued to plead. Elizabeth began to turn back when something caught her eye. An unnatural yellow cloth stuck out from the pile of rubble.

"Wait… wait what's that?!" Elizabeth rushed over to the pile of rubble, and began digging in. Hawk hopped over to her, and helped her shift the rocks aside. As they cleared the rubble aside, a man appeared frum under the dust and stone. "It's a guard!" Elizabeth was about to check his pulse when the man suddenly grabbed at her wrist,

"AH!"

"It's alive!" Hawk screeched.

"H-Help… p-p-please…" The man's grasp on Elizabeth's wrist loosened, allowing Elizabeth to break free. She watched as his hand fell to the floor.

"Hawk! Go tell the others! There's a survivor here!"

"Meliodas! King! Scary blue skinned woman! HELP!" Hawk screamed. His voice echoed throughout the tower, causing small tremors to shake it's fragile structure. Dust and a few stones fell from the ceiling. Elizabeth covered her head in fear.

"Hawk! _Careful!_ " Elizabeth whispered, emphasizing the word _careful_.

"Oh, right… sorry!" Hawk whispered back. Meliodas soon appeared at the door. Irileth and King quickly followed him. Elizabeth held the guards head in her arms, and looked at the others expectantly. Irileth quickly knelt besides her,

"What happened?" She asked quickly.

"Hroki… Tor… it just… **grabbed** them… pulled them right into the sky… they tried to run but… it was so fast…" The guard coughed violently, blood trickling down his chin.

"We need to try and pull him out-"

"No! We can't…" Elizabeth cut Irileth off before she could try and pull the guard out. Elizabeth nodded inconspicuously towards a large pile of boulders resting unsteadily above the guard's torso. Attempting to move the guard from his position would no doubt result in the rocks coming down on him. Irileth acknowledged her and knelt back down next to the guard.

"What happened soldier? Where is it? The dragon?" Irileth questioned. The guard coughed again, spurting out more blood. He struggled to speak, his breaths becoming shorter and shorter.

"It came from the sky… swept down… waves of fire… so much fire…"

 _HIN LAAS KOS DU_

A voice, like nothing they had ever heard before, rang in their ears. It was powerful, intimidating, and hostile. It was of no language they could understand. None except for King. It was dragon language.

"Your life will be devoured…" The words slipped out of King's mouth as he translated it. As the words came together, he felt his body grow stiff with fear.

"Kynareth save us…! Here he… he comes again!" The guard hacked and coughed violently, coughing up another stream of blood before collapsing into Elizabeth's hands. The tower began shaking; dust and stones hailed from the ceiling, warning it's collapse.

"Go! Go! Go!" Irileth pulled Elizabeth out of the tower, just after the others made their hasty retreat. Behind them, the tower gave it's last stand, slowly collapsing in on itself. Dust flew everywhere while stones toppled down the pile of rubble.

 _HIN LAAS KOS DU_

The voice spoke again. It was taunting them. It _wanted_ them. This dragon wanted to fight, to kill, to _devour_. Meliodas and the others drew their swords, scanning the sky for any signs of the dragon. Elizabeth coughed heavily and leant on Hawk as the pig led her into cover. Hawk led her under a small alcove covered by what remained of the wall and some stones. It was well hidden away, and Hawk felt comfortable that they would be safe.

Meanwhile, King and Meliodas had their weapons at the ready, surveying the sky for any movement.

"So… you think we can beat this thing?" Meliodas asked, keeping his eyes peeled on the clouds.

"I _know_ we can. With you at our side, you'll be devouring his soul!" Meliodas cocked an eyebrow at him in confusion. King realized he had forgotten Meliodas's inability to translate dragon tongue, and explained himself, "The words we keep hearing… it translates to, ' _your life will be devoured'_." Meliodas shook his head,

"Wonder what it tastes like. Dragon souls." This time it was King's turn to cock an eyebrow. Meliodas turned towards him knowingly, "I'll bet it tastes awful." he joked. King laughed nervously and elbowed Meliodas kiddingly in the arm.

"I'll bet you're right. They've got to be hundreds of years old."

"You know I once drank a hundred year old ale? Tasted awful." Meliodas laughed. King laughed as well. It felt good to let it all out. If they were going to die, at least they would have had a good laugh beforehand.

"There it is! Find cover!" One of the guards shouted. King and Meliodas looked around until they spotted it.

 **Mirmulnir ~ Ancient Dragon - destroyer of the Western Watchtower**

A huge, black shadow emerged from the light frothy clouds overhead. Its wings were long and sharp, with small holes here and there, where arrows had punctured it surely. The dragon called out to them, it's voice piercing and strong. It's body was covered from head to toe in sharp scales, which poked out at some points, making it's tail in particular extremely lethal. The long, snake-like appendage was covered in small spikes, like a mace. One sweep, and it would kill you instantly, not to mention it would be strong enough to send you through a wall.

"Wait for it to land! Use your bows while it is in the air!" Irileth commanded. She held up her steel shield, preparing for the onslaught to come. Meliodas ran behind a nearby stone pillar for cover. King followed suit, hiding behind the one next to him. Because he had no bow, Meliodas would have to wait till the creature landed to actually fight it.

King, on the other hand, drew up a spell in his hand. Meliodas watched as his hand turned ice cold, a light frost floating around his fingertips. King brought his fingers inward, close to a fist. The frost on his hands solidified, forming a large, pointed ice crystal. Wielding the spell in his hands, King kept his eye on the approaching enemy.

"I hope you're ready for this." He looked at Meliodas hopefully. Meliodas looked back, and gave him a thumbs up.

"Of course I do. I'm the Dragonborn. We've got it in the bag."

 **Author's Note: This chapter was a lot longer than expected, so it will have to be broken into two parts. Sorry, but I'd rather have two medium sized chapters than one really really long one. Anyway, leave a comment and tell me what you guys think! I hope it doesn't sound cheesy or anything, I'm trying to mix the seriousness of it all with a bit of fun from the characters.** **Also, I would just like to add that if there are any abnormal words or symbols add in here and there, it is not of my doing. i am uploading this using a computer that doesn't use the software compatible with uploading via file, so I have to do this using copy and paste, and for some reason random letters and words are sometimes added. Just a heads up!**


	5. Chapter 5: The Dragonborn

**My apologies for not updating, I will try my best to keep up with updating every sunday. This chapter was especially difficult to write, and quite long, but I hope you guys like it. If the humor in it is dry, I'm sorry, because I'm not that good with jokes, but I try to keep it funny. Anyway, many thanks to LucyDragneel2009 for the reviews, and to Faeling Creature, Sullina3, and Lucy for the follows. (If I already said this here it is again lol)**

 **This is a tale like no other. Where myths and legends are a reality. In the land known as Skyrim, a great plague has fallen unto the people. On the break of war between two distinct sides, Skyrim grows more conflicted by the minute. But, there is more to this story than meets the eye. A great danger awakens from it's slumber, keen on reaping it's revenge on those that had sealed it away. In desperate times like these, the people of Skyrim look to the heavens for a sign of hope, for a savior to save them all. That savior, is the Dragonborn.**

 **-The Dragonborn-**

" _ZU'U FEN LOST FIN ZIN DO KRII FIN DOVAHKIIN!"_ Meliodas and King watched as Mirmulnir spoke his native tongue, while hovering in the air before them. Meliodas, regardless of being the Dragonborn, was completely oblivious to what he was saying. Was he talking about crushing them and using their bones for bone powder? Was he talking about brokering a peace over a good mug of mead? He had no idea.

"What did it say?" Meliodas whispered quietly to King. King gulped, and sputtered,

"He said, 'I will have the honor of killing the Dragonborn.'" Meliodas grinned and took a step forward, much to King's dismay.

"Well then. What are you waiting for? Come and get me!" King's heart froze at the mere thought of Meliodas, a drunken tavern keeper who barely knew the extent of his powers, insulting a terrifying dragon who had doubtlessly killed hundreds of people.

" _RINIK PRUZAH MEY! ZU'U FEN KIPRAAN NAU HIN QETH!"_ King's heart shattered. It was bad enough to fight a dragon, but to insult him, it most certainly secured a more slow and painful death.

"What did he say now?" Meliodas grinned curiously. King chuckled hysterically,

"He, he says 'Very well fool. I will feast on your bones.'" Meliodas sighed,

"Oh." Mirmulnir then opened his maw, where a bright orange light began to glow.

"Look out!" Elizabeth called out from behind cover with Irileth. King and Meliodas quickly dove behind nearby rubble as Mirmulnir let out a fearsome roar. From his mouth, an enormous plume of fire washed over the ground where Meliodas and King had been standing. Everything in its path was practically incinerated, leaving nothing but ash and a black scorch on the ground.

"Well that didn't go according to plan." Meliodas tapped his chin in thought.

"WHAT KIND OF A PLAN WAS THAT?!" King screamed angrily from behind him. Mirmulnir closed his mouth, ending his bombardment of fire, and raised his gigantic wings. In one strong brush, he brought down his wings, sending a strong gust of wind towards the humans. King ducked behind cover, but Meliodas was not so fortunate. The wind had caught him off guard, and sent him sprawling into the middle of the open courtyard.

"Meliodas!" Elizabeth called, shielding her eyes from the gust of wind. Meliodas grasped at the small tufts of dirt and grass to prevent himself from being blown further. As quickly as it had came, the wind stopped, and Meliodas got to his feet. Opening his eyes, he could see Mirmulnir straightening his neck, an orange glow growing in his throat.

"He's going to fire again! Meliodas get out of there!" King shouted from behind Mirmulnir.

"Run Sir Meliodas! Please save yourself!" Elizabeth cried from next to Irileth.

Meliodas' heart pounded. If he didn't think fast, his life as the Dragonborn will have been short lived. HIs eyes darted about him, searching for any means of escape. Instead, he found something else. Without a second thought, Meliodas dove towards a burning corpse, doing a somersault in the process. Mirmulnir let loose his flames from hell, blasting the area in which Meliodas stood.

"NOOOOO!" Elizabeth cried, tears forming at the corners of her eyes.

"Oh… my god…" King slumped back in shock, watching the flames pound the earth with hot ferocity. Black smoke and dust formed at the base of the flames. Mirmulnir ceased his attack, eyeing the display of black smoke and ash with satisfaction. Everyone stared in horror. There was nothing left. Nothing at all. No corpse, not even a skeleton. Nothing but ash and another black mark on the earth.

"He's dead… that fool. He shouldn't have put himself out there in the first place…" Irileth muttered miserably. Elizabeth suddenly grabbed Irileth by the shoulders,

"How dare you say that! He risked his life coming here! He's not some trained soldier, he's just a tavern keeper, yet he risked his life coming here to help you fight that stupid dragon!" Elizabeth sobbed. Irileth frowned for a moment, almost as if showing a sign of pity. However, she straightened herself out, and scoffed,

"Then he's even a bigger fool than I suspected. He should've stayed back at the city, where he belonged!" With a violent shove, Irileth pushed Elizabeth off of her. Elizabeth fell backwards, completely off balance. She was about to hit the floor when she found a pair of arms holding her up. Slowly, she looked upwards. Her eyes landed on a pair of unmistakable green emerald eyes.

"Did I miss anything?" The Dragonborn asked jokingly.

"MELIODAS!" Elizabeth instantly spun around, grasping Meliodas by the waist and embracing him in a warm hug. She had never felt so happy to see someone in her entire life. The thought of losing him was too great for her, and she hoped to never experience it again. It almost felt like a part of her had died when she saw the ash and smoke. "How did you survive? What happened?" Meliodas grinned,

"Well, I saw this shield laying there and I-" he had barely started his tale when Elizabeth angrily whacked him across the head.

"Don't you ever do that to me again! You have no idea how worried I was! Do you have any idea what the rest of us would do without you?!" Meliodas smiled as Elizabeth caught herself on the last sentence. She instinctively stepped back and pulled on one of the white strands of hair covering her left eye. A deep blush had appeared on her cheeks.

"I… I-I'm sorry that was… that was very selfish of me… " Meliodas ignored her embarrassment and simply grasped her rear end firmly. Elizabeth let out a surprised squeak as he massaged it happily

"And miss out on all of this? Not a chance!" From the side of them, Irileth stared on in a mixture of complete disgust, and bewilderment.

"Are you two completely insane?! We're currently in the middle of battle! Don't tell me you forgot the DRAGON that almost incinerated you five minutes ago?!" Meliodas let go of Elizabeth, who took two steps back, her cheeks burning red. Turning towards Irileth, he grinned and nodded,

"Oh yeah… right… my bad. Where were we…?" Irileth grumbled irritably and turned back towards Mirmulnir. The dragon hovered in the air, searching for more targets to torch.

Irileth pulled out her bow and nocked an arrow.

"I've got a good shot. Pass the word on, we'll strike at the beast's wings. We'll ground him, then attack on foot. Go!" Elizabeth nodded and quietly moved off to inform the other guards hiding nearby. Meliodas crouched down next to Irileth.

"I haven't got a bow. What should I do?" Irileth snickered,

"Why don't you go out there and be a distraction? I'm sure he'd love to get another go at you. He seems to like you the most." Meliodas frowned,

"If we're going to take this thing down, we need to work together." Irileth wiped the smirk off her face and nodded.

"You're right. I'm being foolish. For now, just cover me. If he blasts us again, I would appreciate that shield of yours for cover." Irileth and Meliodas nodded in agreement. Elizabeth crawled back towards them, and sat next to Irileth,

"They're ready. Just say when!" She whispered. Irileth nodded and drew her bow.

"NOW!" Irileth let loose her arrow, which was followed by a series of other arrows. Mirmulnir hadn't been expecting a sudden unified attack, and was surprised when the barrage of arrows pierced his wings. The arrows ripped through the thin skin on his wings, leaving small holes here and there. The dragon screamed with rage. How could he have been so foolish to leave himself out in the open! With a terrifying screech, Mirmulnir stuck out his legs and landed onto the ground. The earth shook violently as his claws touched the ground.

"The beast has landed!"

"Now's our chance!"

"Attack!"

Shouting their loudest battle cries, the Whiterun Guards leapt out from their hiding places, swords drawn and shields raised at the ready. Irileth vaulted over their cover and followed suit. Elizabeth drew her dagger and prepared to follow, but was stopped by Meliodas.

"I can't let you go out there. It's too dangerous. Stay back here, and wait. I'll take care of this. I'll be fine, I promise." He brushed his hand across her cheek, grinning at her. She hated that smile, and loved it at the same time. She never knew what he was really feeling when he wore it. Was he scared? Excited? Hysterical? She couldn't tell. God she hated that smile. But she loved it too.

Meliodas ran as fast as his legs could carry him, his hand tightly wrapped around his iron sword. He raised his left arm, bringing his iron shield up to protect his body as he charged. King appeared next to him, slightly out of breath, but running nonetheless.

"You ready?" Meliodas asked to King. With a stifled cough and wheeze, King nodded,

"Definitely." Mirmulnir raised his long neck and peered down at the approaching humans. They were nothing more than insects to him. A pestilence needing to be exterminated. He rose his tail and wings, readying himself for battle. With his wings crippled, he would need to fight them on the ground before his wings healed.

Two Whiterun guards approached from his rear, one wielding a battleaxe while the other held a simple sword and shield. He would've completely ignored them if they hadn't stabbed his tail with their pathetic weapons. The battleaxe merely cracked against his scales, but the sword found a chink in his armor, and pierced his skin slightly. Irritated, Mirmulnir flicked his tail viciously. The spikes on his tail impaled one of the guards, the spike protruding from his back and piercing his stomach. He let out a startled cry before being silenced by Mirmulnir wrath. The other guard received no mercy either. Although spared from the lethal pointed barbs, the blunt force of the tail sent him straight into a concrete slab, cracking every bone in his body. His carcass fell to the floor like a crushed sack of potatoes.

Mirmulnir next victim was a burly looking guard to his left. The man let out another battle cry, alarming Mirmulnir to his presence. He fruitlessly swung his war axe against Mirmulnir armor, daunting his blade till it was nothing left but the wooden handle. Mirmulnir let out a deep bellow, which, if King could guess, was what a Dragon sounded like when it laughed. The guard backed away in fright, but only made about five steps back before Mirmulnir bent his neck down in frightening speed.

One moment the guard was standing there, the next he had vanished. Only, King knew where he had vanished to. Mirmulnir's giant maw engulfed the terrified guard. His monstrous teeth closed down on his body, swallowing him up in one bite. King watched in horror as the dragon opened its mouth in the air, just as baby birds would do when their mother returned with food. Mirmulnir coughed and chomped down on his food, crunching the body into sizable portions. A horrifying sound reached everyone's ears. It was screaming. Terrified, agonizing screaming.

 _He was still alive_.

Irileth stopped running. Her hands shook with anger. She couldn't stand it anymore: the feeling of being so helpless in the hands of her enemy. They were nothing more than play toys, morsels of food running around on a very large plate. She couldn't stand it. Dropping her sword, she pulled out her bow, and drew an arrow as quickly as she could. The screaming had stopped, and Meliodas, King, and the others still held their ears in fright. Irileth, however, ignored her surroundings. Her target was clear. Pulling the string back, she aimed the arrow towards the monster's mouth. With cursing breath, she loosened her grip, and let the arrow fly.

Mirmulnir had just about finished ripping apart his meal when he felt a sharp pain hit the roof of his mouth. One of those pathetic humans had managed to shoot an arrow into his open mouth! Enraged, he let out an enraged roar. His tongue pushed the arrow in the roof of his mouth, snapping off the end. Swallowing what remained in his throat, he bent his neck down to face the culprit of the arrow.

Irileth stood solid, too frightened to move. She had not anticipated the consequences of her actions. She was too angry to stop herself, and now, she had announced her presence, and in open view. There was no escape. There was no nearby cover for her to hide behind.

"DUR HI! ZU'U FEN MED KRII HI! ZU'U FEN WAHL HIN DINOK FAAZ!" (Curse you! I will enjoy killing you! I will make your death slow and painful!)

Irileth watched the familiar sight of an orange glow appear in the dragon's throat. She backed off instinctively, her legs growing weaker with each step. The dragon opened it's mouth, aimed at her. The ends of his mouth almost seemed to curl up in amusement as he watched her back away in fear.

"NU HI DIR!" (Now you die!)

"No! Irileth!" King cried. He ran towards her, but was held back by Meliodas. "Get off me! No!" Meliodas held the young mage back. It would be suicide to try and get to her now.

Irileth closed her eyes, ready to embrace death. She had fought well. She was ready to die, for Jarl Balgruuf, for Whiterun, for Skyrim. Seconds after she closed her eyes, she was grabbed around the waist and pulled to the ground. She could hear the growl of the dragon, and feel the warmth of the flames. But she didn't feel any pain. Why? Irileth wiped the dirt from her face, and opened her eyes. She couldn't believe what she saw.

It was Elizabeth. The tavern wench. Holding the shield in front of her, the white haired girl split the waves of flame in half, sparing Irileth. Elizabeth groaned under the pressure of the flames. Her knees were weakening. The sheer force of the flames was putting pressure on her waning strength.

"Elizabeth!" Meliodas called. It was his turn to make a run for the girl, and King's turn to hold him back.

"Wait! Look!" King pointed towards the cloud of fire and smoke.

"Ughhh!" Elizabeth cried, her knees buckling. Her hands were suddenly covered by another pair of feminine hands. Irileth crouched next to her behind the shield, pushing against the flames with Elizabeth. She flashed her a knowing smile, and the two stood their ground.

Mirmulnir didn't anticipate another human coming to save the elf, nor did he think they would be able to withstand his fire breath for this long. With the last of his breath, Mirmulnir let out one final breath of fire. A large black scorch stained the ground, save for a small circle where a large iron shield sat against the ground. From behind the shield, Elizabeth and Irileth stood abruptly, and quickly dashed off to the nearest cover. Mirmulnir let out an irritated scowl.

"NID! HI FOD KOS DILON!" (No! You should be dead!)

"Now! While he's distracted!" Meliodas pulled King towards Mirmulnir's exposed back. Meliodas ran as fast as his legs could carry him. As he neared the dragon's side, he lifted up his sword in a pointed position. His eyes narrowed on a small gap in the dragon's scales; a small patch of pale skin stood out from the rest of the dragon's dark armor. With his own battle cry, Meliodas charged.

Mirmulnir felt a sudden sharp pain in his right leg. Meliodas plunged his sword as deep as he could force it into the exposed skin. Dark blue blood squirted out of the wound, covering Meliodas's face. He screamed angrily, twisting and turning the blade in every direction to inflict maximum damage. The dragon screamed angrily, and suddenly spun around, knocking Meliodas back into a stone pillar. His back smashed against the concrete, forcing a bit of blood out of his mouth.

"Sir Meliodas! No!" Elizabeth pulled free of Irileth's hesitant grasp, and ran towards the wounded dragonborn.

"Elizabeth! Come back!" Hawk, who had been hiding under a small pile of rocks, suddenly called out.

Meliodas spat out the blood in his mouth, leaving a small trickle of the red substance trickling down the edge of his lips. Elizabeth crouched down next to him. As gently as she could, she placed her hands on his shoulders and helped him up. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine… I'm fine…"

Mirmulnir screamed in a terrific fury. With his wings now healed, he felt strong enough to lift back off the ground. Bringing them up above his head, he brought them down with awesome strength. The sheer force of the wind generated by his wings forced Meliodas and King down to the ground. Now in the air, Mirmulnir had made up his mind. It was time to finish these troubling mortals. They had caused him enough trouble as it was. Turning about, he prepared to make a diving run on the remaining survivors.

 ***King***

King stood up and closed his eyes. Lacking in brute strength, he knew it would be pointless for him to charge the beast head on. He focused, summoning as much Magicka ***** as he could muster. Slowly, he could feel himself levitate off the ground, rising into the air. With his right hand, he summoned Chastiefol, his trusty spear. The weapon hovered next to him, awaiting his orders. With his left hand, he spun his wrist and fingers around in specific coordination. A sharp icicle formed in the center of his palm. Bringing his hands together, he placed the ice shard on the tip of Chastiefol, giving the spear a deadly taint of frostbite *****.

Mirmulnir brought himself around, and began to dive towards the open courtyard. King narrowed his eyes, focusing his train of thought on the approaching dragon. Using his left hand to aim, and his right to summon Chastiefol, he readied his attack. Mirmulnir approached the courtyard, fire forming at the pit of his throat. King waited as Mirmulnir neared, waiting for a perfect shot.

"AG KO SOVNGARDE!" (Burn in sovngarde!). With all of his magicka, King threw Chastiefol towards the impending dragon. Chastiefol flew through the air towards Mirmulnir at incredible speed. However, the Dragon was focused now, and just managed to spot the approaching spear before it landed it's mark. With a swift turn, Mirmulnir dodged the spear. Unfortunately for him, he was not quick enough to dodge it entirely. The ice shard shattered upon impact, while the spear shot clear through the Dragon's wing. Mirmulnir groaned in agony, as he watched the hole the spear made grow blue and cold. The frostbite began to slowly spread through his wing. Eyes ablaze with anger, Mirmulnir turned towards the unsuspecting King.

"King watch out!" Meliodas called out.

Mirmulnir let loose his attack. Another barrage of flames charred the ground. King screamed in agony as his leg was caught in the blast. Crawling behind a nearby boulder, King sat down, cradling his blistering leg. He was fortunate that he hadn't been in the flames too long, otherwise there wouldn't have been anything left. Wincing, he looked down at his leg. A large portion of the skin was covered in red boils, surrounded by burnt skin and blood. King had never experienced such pain before, and looking at the wound had pushed him over the edge. Quickly turning to his left, he emptied his stomach.

 ***Meliodas, Irileth, and Elizabeth***

"We can't keep this up! We need to make a plan!" Meliodas suggested. Irileth scoffed,

"Alright then, let's hear it! What do you want us to do?" Meliodas looked at Irileth, surprised at her acceptance of his suggestion. Now that he had control of their next moves, Meliodas peered from behind his cover to examine his surroundings. Mirmulnir was in the center of the courtyard, grounded with one wing crippled. King was on the left, but from the looks of it, he wouldn't be fighting soon. On the right, the remainder of the Whiterun guards stood hidden from the dragon's sight.

Meliodas looked at the dragon. His thick scales covered almost his entire body except for two spots: The gash in his leg, and his eyes. His eyes were too small of a target, and too far out of reach. That left the opening in his leg.

"We need to get closer to his leg. That's where I hit him last time." Meliodas nodded towards Irileth.

"Alright, then how do we get you there?" The dragonborn smiled,

"Not just me, the both of us. You're coming with." Irileth grinned and playfully punched Meliodas in the arm.

"Alright, sounds good. I'd like to have another swing at that bastard. But how do we get there?" Meliodas looked over to the right side of the ruins.

"With King out of commission, we'll have the guards shoot arrows and launch a small attack on the dragon's right side. There's barely any cover from here and the left, so we'll need them to keep the dragon off us while we move. While he engages them, we'll move over to the left, then attack his flank. One we get close enough, we'll both strike him where it hurts! Then, when the dragon targets us, we'll have the rest of our forces close in for the kill."

"Sounds like a plan." Irileth nodded, "But we need to spread word to the guards so they know what to do."

"I can do that!" Elizabeth chipped in, eager to help. Meliodas nodded.

"Alright then. Stay low and tell the guards what to do."

"How will she get there? It's open ground out there." Irileth pointed out. Meliodas looked over to the area separating the two parts of the ruins. Irileth was right, there was too much open ground between them and the Whiterun guards. They would need a distraction. Meliodas smiled.

"She's going to need a distraction." Irileth scoffed,

"So what do you propose? We do a little dance for him? Play him a song? He'll fry us the second we show our faces!" Meliodas closed his eyes and shook his head, knowing full well Irileth would just _love_ his plan.

"Well, not exactly."

" _What?_ "

"We'll tease him, you know? Make him angry, and he'll follow us over to the other side. That way, Elizabeth will be able to make her way to the other guards." Irileth stood shocked,

"You… you want to make the Dragon, which already wants to eat us alive, even more angry?!" Meliodas nodded.

" _You're insane._ "

"Alright then," Meliodas continued, ignoring Irileth, "Irileth and I will distract the dragon while you make your way over to them. I'll signal you to make the attack when he's not looking our way. Remember, you need to keep it distracted long enough for Irileth and me to get over to King. If he so much as looks our way again, I doubt my shield will save us a second time." Elizabeth nodded.

"Good luck… I'll make sure to keep him off of you." Elizabeth smiled,

"Take care of yourself." Meliodas nodded,

"Back at you." Putting on her game face, Elizabeth quickly slid out from the center of the ruins. Crouching down, she lightly stepped over the piles of rocks towards the right side. Mirmulnir's neck was craned upwards, giving him the optimal view over the courtyard.

Elizabeth stopped. A large patch of open ground separated her from the guards. Elizabeth looked behind her expectantly, to where Meliodas and Irileth sat.

"She's ready. It's our turn." Irileth announced.

"Game time!" Meliodas's eyebrow furrowed with determination. "Let's do this." Holding his sword tightly in his hands, Meliodas dashed out from his cover. Irileth followed suit, except in the opposite direction. Mirmulnir looked over to the remains of the main watchtower, from which two figures suddenly skittered out.

"MEY JUL! HI NIS FILOK ZU'U!" (Foolish humans! You cannot escape me!). Irileth watched as the dragon prepared its attack. Quickly, she turned her head back towards her goal: A large boulder straight ahead.

"C'mon dragon! Is that all you've got?!" Irileth teased as she dove behind the boulder. Mirmulnir breathed flaming breath over the rock, cooking the side closest to him.

"RUTH HI! ZU'U FEN KRII HI!" (Damn you! I will kill you!)

Meliodas grinned, and shouted over to the dragon.

"Hey bastard! Remember me? I'm alive!"

"DIR!" (DIE!) Another wave of fiery hot air shot towards Meliodas. The dragonborn dove into a deep pit, covering his head as the flames burned overhead. When the flames ended, he sat up, and looked around miraculously.

"Alive again? You're not good at this are you? Maybe you're a lower ranking dragon?" The dragon let out a furious scream, his claws tearing up the earth in large patches of grass and dirt. Enraged, Mirmulnir advanced towards the lone human, determined to shove him in his mouth and eat him slowly. He would cherish devouring him! He would make sure to bite down slowly, so that he would experience maximum pain!

Meliodas watched as the dragon began approaching him, his maw opened and his tongue slithering about rapidly. Now that he had the dragon's attention, Elizabeth could make her way over to the remaining guards.

 ***Elizabeth***

Elizabeth held her ears as the Dragon let out his furious scream. _Sir Meliodas must have grabbed it's attention. I'd better move while it's distracted_. Pulling herself up, Elizabeth dashed over to the right side of the ruins. A small stone room sat in the middle of the ruins. _They must be in there!_ Elizabeth carefully walked into the room. Inside, what remained of the Whiterun guards sat, exhausted and defeated.

"Sir Meliodas and Lady Irileth need our help! They sent me to tell you their plan. We need to-"

"Forget it lady… we're done… " One of the guards spoke up. Elizabeth was taken aback. She had not been expecting resistance from the other guards at all. She hadn't even considered it. Looking around, she noticed their faces; defeated, devoid of all hope, they had given up.

"W-What do you-"

"I mean we quit… we'll just wait till it leaves… there's no way we can defeat it… " The guard spoke up. The others hummed in agreement. Elizabeth frantically looked behind her, watching as Mirmulnir advanced upon Meliodas and Irileth.

"B-But we need you! We have a plan to defeat it! Without you, Sir Meliodas and-"

"Screw him! He's just some lowlife farmer that joined last minute! We've already lost three good soldiers out there, and we can't afford to lose anyone else…" Elizabeth's fists shook angrily.

"How could you! This isn't just for him, for me, for Sir King! This isn't for glory, or fame! This is to protect those we love! To protect Whiterun, and the rest of Skyrim! How can you sit back and not do anything? If it gets past us, what will he do next? He'll go for Whiterun! Then what will you do, as he's burning down your house and attacking your family?! Can't you see this is the last line of defense? We need you!" Silence filled the room, with only the sound of the dragon's screeches in the background. The guards all stared at one another.

"I… I'm sorry… I truly am… but if I die here, who will take care of my family? We can't kill that beast, we've tried everything. Arrows, blades, nothing can pierce it's armor. I'd rather die with my family then abandon them to die alone…" The rest of the guards remained silent, but Elizabeth knew they all agreed. Elizabeth nervously ran her fingers through her hair, looking back towards Mirmulnir. He was slowly advancing on Irileth and Meliodas. _I can't just abandon them! But what do I do? I'm all alone!_ Elizabeth looked around, looking for anything that might provide an answer, when her eyes landed on one of the guards' bow.

 ***Meliodas and Irileth***

Meliodas dove behind another boulder, narrowly avoiding another fiery blast. Irileth sat next to him.

"We can't keep this up! Where's Elizabeth with the guards?!"

"I don't know! They should be here by now!" Irileth quickly peeked at Mirmulnir.

"He's advancing quick, we need to move!" Without warning, Irileth quickly dashed from their spot over to a collapsed stone wall. Panting heavily, she looked back over to Meliodas. Mirmulnir had brought his tail about, and began flailing it violently, knocking over stone pillars and shattering stone walls. Waiting till the tail was out of his path, Meliodas ran over to Irileth.

"Alright, we may have a problem…"

"You think so?!" Irileth retorted angrily. Putting her anger aside, Irileth focused on the problem at hand, "What do we do now genius?"

"I… I don't know!" Meliodas admitted. Suddenly, the wall they were hiding behind began to shake. The two warriors dove to the ground, just as the wall was ripped down by a giant claw. Dust and small rocks fell down around them. Looking up, Meliodas stared straight into the face of Mirmulnir.

"ZU'U LOST HI NU!" (I have you now!) The dragon opened it's mouth, and bent back it's neck, preparing to strike. "HIN LAAS LOS DII" *(Your life is mine)*

 _Phhhfftttt!_

"AARRRRRGHHHH! RUTH HI! DI MIIN!" (Damn you! My eye!) In an unexpected turn of events, an arrow abruptly sunk into Mirmulnir eye. The dragon screamed in agony, it's tail frantically slamming into whatever lay in it's path. His wings flapped angrily as he attempted futilely to remove the arrow in his eye. Meliodas looked over to where the arrow had originated. Standing next to of one of the remaining watchtowers, stood Elizabeth, bow in hand, staring wide-eyed at the scene before her. _She did it! She's amazing! Who knew she could shoot a bow?_ Without a second thought, Meliodas stood up and ran,

"C'mon Irileth, now's our chance!" He had only ran about twenty feet before realizing she was not behind him. He looked back. Irileth lay against the grass, pinned by a large stone. "Irileth!" Meliodas began to run towards her,

"Sir Meliodas! Help!" Meliodas looked upwards. Mirmulnir stared back at him. The dragon held one of its claws against the fragile structure of the tower, tauntingly pressing against it. Elizabeth lay against the ground, frightened.

"NO!" Meliodas raised his hand, as if to stop the dragon. Yet that wasn't all Mirmulnir had up his sleeve. A familiar orange light appeared at his throat, growing ever so slightly. It was slower than before, implying that it would take a few seconds before he would be able to use it. Meliodas looked at Mirmulnir. The dragon had that same look on it when it had cornered Irileth before. It was amused.

"HI FEN WAHL AAN MIIRAAD KENDOV! FEN NI KOS? FIN KEIN VAHDIN? UV FIN KULAAS! Hahaha! Make a choice warrior! What will it be? The war maiden? Or your female companion? Time's wasting!" Mirmulnir's tongue changed to English, allowing Meliodas to comprehend the situation.

"W-What?... No… NO!"

"Time's up! They both get to die!" Meliodas watched in horror as the Dragon pressed against the fragile tower, pushing it over. Meanwhile, with his breath fully charged, he let loose his flames towards Irileth. _What do I do? What do I do?_ Time was of the essence. _Please forgive me! I must do this!_ Immediately, Meliodas gathered his hidden power, and spoke,

"FUS!"

Elizabeth suddenly found a strong force push her away. Closing her eyes, Elizabeth braced herself for the worst. Her body flew back several feet, landing on a patch of dirt and grass. Opening her eyes, Elizabeth looked around her. She had landed several feet back, safely out of the way of the falling debris. The crippled tower collapsed, sending a cloud of dust into the air. She was alive! But how?

"NOOOOOO!" It was Meliodas's voice. Elizabeth spun her head around. Meliodas was sitting down, his head in his hands, as the Dragon breathed it's fire down on the ground next to him. There was something missing though. _Where's Irileth?_ Elizabeth stared suddenly at the fire. Deep within the flames, barely visible, a dark figure could be seen. Elizabeth felt her heart drop.

"I-I-Irileth!...N-NO!" Elizabeth fell to her knees. She watched as the figure almost seemed to reach out to her in the fire, it's charred black hand reaching towards her. Then, it disappeared. The fire eroded at the figure till it had completely dissolved into dust. The flames consumed her, until she was no more. Elizabeth stared, wide eyed, trying to comprehend what she had just seen.

"Lady Irileth…" Hot tears formed at the corner of her eyes. Her chest pounded, her stomach twisted, and her heart, felt crushed into tiny pieces. "I… I'm so sorry…. If I hadn't shown up… you would be safe… "

"Don't worry Lady Elizabeth…" Elizabeth spun around. Behind her, the Whiterun guards stood, holding their weapons firmly, standing tall, full of determination. "We shall avenge her! Together! FOR LADY IRILETH! ATTACK!"

"YEAH! AAARRRGHHHH!" With terrific battle cries, the Whiterun guards charged the Dragon at full force. Nothing held them back now. They were ready to die. For their families. For Whiterun. For skyrim. _For Irileth_. Mirmulnir's neck spun around, spotting the advancing soldiers. He quickly turned his body around, swinging his tail as he did, knocking two guards down.

King stood up shakily. The potion he had drank was beginning to kick in, but his leg was still shaky. That wasn't going to stop him. He had seen what had happened, and he wasn't going to let Irileth die in vain. Using Chastiefol as a crutch, King summoned another ice shard in his hand. His fingers slid back and forth, shaping the razor sharp point of the shard. Then, using his other hand, he summoned a flame. Bringing his hands together, he lit the ice shard aflame, enchanting it with a flame spell.

Meanwhile, Meliodas stood up from behind the rubble of the wall. His eyes were dark. The smile he often wore was gone. His fist tightened around the hilt of his sword. His eyes focused on the gap of Mirmulnir's scales. Bringing the sword above his head, the blade pointed at his target, Meliodas charged, screaming his own battle cry.

"FOR IRILETH!" King wiped a tear away from his face,

"For Irileth!" The ice shard rose into the air. Using all of his strength, King threw the ice shard towards Mirmulnir.

Meliodas ran towards the exposed skin for a second time. Picking up speed, Meliodas thrust his sword into the open gash one last time. Mirmulnir screeched in agony. The strike had weakened him severely, causing him to lose footing on his right leg. The mighty dragon fell to the ground, attempting to prop itself up with it's wings. Suddenly, King's ice shard slammed into Mirmulnir's head. Meliodas quickly removed his sword, and climbed on top of the Dragon's exposed back. Mirmulnir head bent to the side from the impact of King's spell. The ice shard had shattered some of the scales on his head.

"NO! I will not be defeated by mere mortals!" Mirmulnir screamed, letting out a wave of fire.

One of the guards was caught in the blast, and incinerated. They pressed on, however, swinging and stabbing the dragon's exposed wings and skin with their iron weapons. Meliodas ran along the spikes of the Dragon's spine, towards it's neck. Elizabeth and King watched in awe as Meliodas reached the head of the dragon, and brought his sword up, with the point facing the ground.

"I am no mortal!" Meliodas murmured angrily.

"WO LOS HI? Who are you?!" Mirmulnir cried.

"I'm the Dragonborn!" Hands clasped firmly around his sword, Meliodas brought down his sword with awesome might. The exposed skin from King's ice shard split apart from the tip of Meliodas's blade. Mirmulnir cried and thrashed his long neck frantically, attempting to throw Meliodas off. Meliodas held onto his sword which was implanted deep into Mirmulnir's skull. As the dragon's thrashing began to die down, Meliodas delivered the final blow. Mirmulnir thrashed his neck up one last time, to which Meliodas allowed himself to be thrown off. Once in the air, Meliodas shouted,

"FUS!"

The unrelenting force thrust down on Mirmulnir's head, pressing down on the iron sword in his skull so hard, that it sent the sword clean through. The others watched, amazed at Meliodas's power, as the sword was sent straight through the dragon's skull and into the ground. Meliodas fell to the ground with a _thump_ , next to Mirmulnir's shredded wing.

An eerie silence overtook the courtyard. Mirmulnir stood motionless for a moment, unmoving. Suddenly, a large pool of blood began to form on the ground, as it poured from a giant hole in the dragon's head. Everyone watched as the dragon collapsed onto the ground, sending a giant tremor through the earth. A cloud of dust surrounded the dragon's corpse.

"It's dead…" One of the guards spoke up.

"We… we did it... " Another one added.

King walked up next to Elizabeth. Before he could say anything, she sprinted into the dust cloud,

"No! Wait, Elizabeth!" She ignored him. Elizabeth ran into the cloud of dust. _Where is he? He must be here! He must have survived!_ The dust stung her eyes, causing them to water. It was hard to see anything in here! Then, a strange yellow glow appeared. It was warm, and was accompanied by a soft chanting of voices. What they were saying, she could not say. It sounded like dragon talk.

"Elizabeth! There you are!" King hobbled next to Elizabeth, "I was…. Wait… what's that…" King's voice trailed off as he too stared at the glowing light. The smoke began to dissipate. A large silhouette became clear. King and Elizabeth instinctively took a step back, but stopped when they realized something was different. Mirmulnir's corpse had been reduced to nothing more than a skeleton. The remaining small strips of skin instantly burned away into the air in a bright light. A light wind brushed from the ribcage of the skeleton, towards another figure, standing just at the head.

"Meliodas?" Elizabeth called warily. The figure turned around. A pair of green emerald eyes stared back at her. "Meliodas!" The girl ran over to him, wrapping him in a tight hug. Meliodas smiled, and returned the hug. "You did it! You killed it!" Tears, once again, rolled down Elizabeth's eyes.

"Oh don't be so melodramatic… we had something to do with it too you know!" King pointed towards himself and the Whiterun guards, who had appeared through the dissipating smoke.

"I… I can't believe it! Y-You're dragonborn!" One of the guards stepped forward, taking off his helmet. Meliodas rubbed the back of his head, embarrassed.

"Well… yes… yes I am… I guess…"

"They say that the Dragonborn would slay dragons, and absorb their power… that's what you did isn't it! You stole it's power!" King stepped forward,

"I think they may be right Meliodas. That's why there's no skin left on the Dragon. You absorbed HIS soul!" Meliodas casually ran his hands along his chest as if to sense the dragon soul within him.

"Really…" He paused, "Meh, that ale from a hundred years ago tasted better." An awkward silence befell them for a moment. Then, all of a sudden, King started laughing, followed by Elizabeth, and then even the guards joined in. It felt good to laugh. It felt good _to feel good_. They had just killed a dragon! They had done it!

"Hooray! We did it!" Hawk randomly appeared next to Elizabeth. Meliodas stared down at the pig.

"What are you cheering for, you didn't help at all."

"What am I supposed to do? I'm a pig!" As Meliodas, and Hawk squabbled, Elizabeth wandered over to the large black scorch where Irileth made her final stand. Indeed, there was nothing left of her. No ashes, no carcass, nothing. Nothing to remember her by. Quietly, Elizabeth got to her knees, and wiped a tear from her face.

"I'm sorry Irileth. I was so rude to you, and you were only trying to protect me. To protect your people. Please forgive me." She sat silently, praying to the gods above that they would take care of her in sovngarde. Her arm fell to her side in a display of defeat, "How could she… " Elizabeth sobbed. Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"I know she would." Elizabeth looked up at King hopefully. "Forgive you….I mean….she would forgive you if she could….yeah…." Elizabeth smiled and stood up.

"Thanks King. I hope so." Before she could walk away, King held her by the arm.

"Wait…" Elizabeth looked back, puzzled. King brought out a sword from behind his back. She recognized it instantly, "It was Irileth's….she would want you to have it." Elizabeth carefully accepted the sword into her hands. King rubbed his neck awkwardly, "You know….because otherwise it'd be displayed somewhere, not seeing action and all….and I'll bet she'd rather have it put to use in-" Elizabeth hugged King thankfully.

"It's alright King. I understand. Thank you. I know she meant a lot to you…" King frowned and nodded. Elizabeth stood up straight, holding the Sword in her hands. "I'll make her proud." King thanked her, and walked back over to Meliodas with Elizabeth behind him.

"Well then. We'd better get moving. We need to inform Jarl Balgruuf about what happened here." King suggested.

"Agreed. Let's make haste. The Jarl should be informed immediately." One of the guards added. The group began walking back down the stone road, towards Whiterun. Meliodas walked next to Elizabeth.

"What'll we do when we get back?" Elizabeth wondered. Meliodas shrugged.

"I'm not sure. But we'll find out once we get there. For now, I could really just go for a drink."


	6. Chapter 6: A Purpose and a Quest

**Again, sorry for the lateness. Regardless, sorry for the absence of Hawk recently, as I have found it hard to put him in. In all honesty, I know he's a comic relief character, but with all these other characters coming in, he seems less important. Still, I will try to keep him in as much as he should be. Also, regarding the last part of this chapter, (as you will read), it was supposed to be a deleted scene, but I found a place for it here, and well….here it is! I'm kinda happy it fit in so well. Anyway, here's to another chapter!**

 **This is a tale like no other. Where myths and legends are a reality. In the land known as Skyrim, a great plague has fallen unto the people. On the break of war between two distinct sides, Skyrim grows more conflicted by the minute. But, there is more to this story than meets the eye. A great danger awakens from it's slumber, keen on reaping it's revenge on those that had sealed it away. In desperate times like these, the people of Skyrim look to the heavens for a sign of hope, for a savior to save them all. That savior, is the Dragonborn.**

 **-A Purpose and A Quest-**

 **Whiterun**

The streets of Whiterun were luminescent that night, illuminated by the hundreds of torches lining the curbs of the streets. The townsfolk gathered at the edges, standing respectfully behind the Whiterun guards holding the torches. It seemed as if every denizen of Whiterun was standing at the streets. Then, the low beat of a drum could be heard, thumping in a steady rhythm. Meliodas, Elizabeth, King and Hawk stood outside the blacksmith's shop, hidden amongst the crowd.

Slowly, the remainder of the Whiterun guard who fought against the Dragon marched down the road, carrying a wooden casket, embroidered with ebony and gold. They walked slowly, and ceremoniously, the to the beat of the drum. As they passed, the group bowed their heads in respect.

 _You fought braver than any of us Irileth. We will not forget the sacrifice you made for us, and all of Whiterun. Your name will be written in books, I'll make sure of that. They'll praise your name, and recognize your true bravery and skill. Someday, maybe when this is all over, I'll write a book about our adventure. I hope sovngarde is as good as they say it is…._

King raised his head and opened his eyes. Although he had not spoken too much to Irileth during his service to the Jarl, since yesterday, he felt he had grown closer to her than he had ever done before. He respected her. And if he was honest, he would even admit he was envious. Envious of her bravery, of her courage, of her _sacrifice_. King wondered if he could even achieve half of what Irileth had done in a single day.

"King? Are you alright?" Meliodas had put a hand on his shoulder, and was looking down at him worriedly. King looked up at the Dragonborn and shrugged.

"I'm not sure…." Meliodas shook his shoulder jokingly.

"C'mon, I'll get you a drink. On me." King nodded quietly and walked with Meliodas up to the Drunken Huntsman. Elizabeth began to follow, but was nearly tripped when Hawk stood in the way.

"Let them have some alone time…." the pig suggested. Elizabeth nodded and went back to watching the ceremony.

 **The Drunken Huntsman ~ Whiterun**

"So….did you two know each other well?" Meliodas asked as he poured an ale into King's tankard. King watched as the foamy liquid filled his cup, and sighed,

"No….not particularly….but I looked up to her, you know? Someone who could fight with such skill…." Meliodas chuckled lightly,

"Well, I wouldn't sell yourself so short. You fought bravely out there too. It was you who grounded the Dragon in the first place, and-AND it was you who opened up his armor for my final blow! Eh? EH? C'mon you did great out there!" Meliodas slapped King on the back and slid him his ale. King took the tankard in his hands and grinned embarrassedly.

"You….you really think so?" Meliodas nodded confidently.

"I do. This wasn't just about Irileth, or me, or Elizabeth. It was about all of us. We did this together man. We couldn't have done this without you." Meliodas gave King a knowing nod and slid down the bar towards another customer, leaving King to his thoughts.

Since the battle, King had been plagued by the thought of his fight with those bandits years ago. He had been so helpless, so _weak_ … he couldn't even defend his own sister! They had brushed him aside as little more than some defenseless child. He often wondered if Meliodas… if _Irileth_ would've been pushed aside so easily. But now… now he had assisted in the killing of a full fledged Dragon! He wondered… _If I could go back there now….would I have been strong enough to have saved my sister?_

Shaking his head, King pushed the thoughts out of his mind, and downed the ale without thinking. A small stream of alcohol dribbled down his chin as he chugged the liquid down. Before he knew it, he had consumed the entire cup. Meliodas watched from the other side of the bar with unease, and walked over to the mage.

"Uh….King? Are you alright?" The mage wavered awkwardly as he spun around on his bar stool.

"Y-Yes….I'm q-quite alright….why do-do you ask?" A small hiccup erupted from his throat. Meliodas raised an eyebrow.

"King, have you ever drank before?" The mage raised a shaky hand up to his chin, tapping it thoughtfully. After about a minute of silent thinking, the mage shook his head,

"Nope…" Meliodas watched as his eyes suddenly widened, "Oh…" Without warning, the mage suddenly bent over and fell flat on the floor. A few laughs and cheers echoed from the rest of the bar. Meliodas sighed and picked up the drunken mage, dragging him into the nearest bedroom.

"I should've guessed…" The Dragonborn grinned to himself as he lay the wasted King on the bed. He was just walking out the door when a thunderous voice rang in his ears,

" _DOVAHKIIN!"_

Meliodas held his ears, hoping it would stop. The thunderous voice drew out the word, enunciating each syllable clearly. And then, all of a sudden, it stopped. The voice had disappeared. It had only said one word: Dovahkiin. What did that mean? Meliodas looked over to King, who was sound asleep, mumbling words as he snored away. _It would be pointless to wake him now. He's too drunk. I'll wait till later to ask him what it means._

 **Cave outside Windhelm ~ Eastmarch Hold**

The cold wind bit at Jarl Dreyfus' face. The thick snow seeped into his boots, and chilled his legs. His fur coat did little to keep him warm in this weather, but he didn't care. He had arrived at his destination. A large dark cave loomed before him, with icicles lining the opening. Looking about him, Dreyfus ensured that he had not been followed. Taking one last look behind him, the Jarl entered the cave.

As he ventured inside, the cave became warmer and warmer. It became so warm, to the point where he felt he could shed his jacket. Tossing the jacket on a nearby rock, Dreyfus made his way further into the cave. Finally, he reached a large open cavern, shrouded in darkness. A gigantic black figure sat enveloped by the dark. Without hesitation, Dreyfus knelt down before the shadow, bowing his head.

"We've received word of Mirmulnir's death, M'lord." Dreyfus announced respectfully. Silence. The longer his statement went unanswered, the more nervous Dreyfus got. Finally, there was a sound. A slithering sound. The cavern shaked as the figure before him moved about.

"So….Mirmulnir is dead….how peculiar….by mere mortals no less…." Dreyfus gulped and spoke up yet again,

"Not just by mortals sire. A-Apparently, they r-received help from the….from the…." Dreyfus's words trailed off. He couldn't seem to spit them out, out of fear of what the figure would do to him. There was a growl from the darkness,

"Spit out your words Dreyfus…."

"Yes sire! My apologies. They received help from the dragonborn. He's alive sire." Another silence followed, and Dreyfus could feel himself begin to sweat nervously.

"Hm…" The figure hummed thoughtfully, "The Dragonborn you say? Where was he last seen…?"

"Whiterun, Lord Alduin." Dreyfus responded. There was a harumph from the shadow. Dreyfus dared to look up. The figure emerged from the darkness. It was a dragon. He was twice the size of any standard dragon, with gigantic dark blue wings, and black scales covering his entire body from head to tail. Like Mirmulnir, his tail was covered in sharp barbs which ran up his spine. Dreyfus quickly looked back at the floor.

 **Alduin ~ The World Eater**

"Well then Jarl Dreyfus…" Alduin began slyly, "I suggest you prepare your men."

 **Dragonsreach**

The halls of Dragonsreach echoed with song as nobles and other guests celebrated the death of the dragon. Naturally, Meliodas, Elizabeth, King, and even Hawk were invited. Meliodas sat with his legs kicked up on top of the table. With one hand grasping a tankard, and the other holding a pitcher, the Dragonborn sang happily along with the song the bards were playing,

 _Our hero, Our hero_

 _Claims a warrior's heart_

 _I tell you, I tell you,_

 _The Dragonborn Comes_

 _With a voice wielding power,_

 _Of the ancient Nord art_

 _Believe, believe,_

 _The Dragonborn Comes_

 _It's an end to the evil_

 _Of all Skyrim's foes_

 _Beware, beware,_

 _The Dragonborn Comes_

 _For the darkness has passed,_

 _And the legend yet grows_

 _You'll know, you'll know_

 _The Dragonborn's Come_

A round of applause echoed through the hall, followed by laughter and cheers. Meliodas laughed with them. Elizabeth giggled happily at his side. As the two ate, a feeble looking old man approached them. He had seen him before, arguing with Irileth when Meliodas had first approached the Jarl.

"Sir Meliodas, Lady Elizabeth, the Jarl would like to speak with you." Meliodas looked over at Elizabeth, shrugged, and stood up. "Where is Sir King? The Jarl would also like to speak with him." Meliodas laughed and rubbed his neck.

"He….uh….won't be joining us. He's….hehe, had too much to drink." Meliodas cleared his throat innocently and walked past the man. Jarl Balgruuf sat at his throne, speaking quietly with a man in nordic armor. When he spotted Meliodas walking towards him, he shooed the guard away. Meliodas and Elizabeth knelt respectfully until Balgruuf motioned for them to rise.

"Meliodas, I cannot express the gratitude I have for you killing that Dragon. You have done a mighty deed, of which I will never forget. You've earned your place amongst the heroes of Whiterun…" Meliodas smiled appreciatively and bowed down. "And…" the jarl continued, "...I'm glad that, even though Irileth lost her life in battle, she was able to fight with you before she died." The jarl paused for a moment.

"She will be missed." Elizabeth and Meliodas closed their eyes and nodded.

"Still, the guards tell me that something peculiar happened after killing the dragon. Something… very _unique_." Meliodas stepped forward,

"Yes. When the Dragon died, I absorbed some kind of power from it. King said that I absorbed it's soul…" The Jarl rested his chin on his hand, and thought quietly.

"So it's true then...the Greybeards really were summoning you." Meliodas cocked an eyebrow.

"Who?"

"The Greybeards. Masters of the Way of the Voice. The live in seclusion high on the slopes of the Throat of the World."

"But what do they want with me?" Meliodas questioned.

"The Dragonborn is said to be uniquely gifted in the voice - the ability to focus your vital essence into a Thu'um or Shout. If you _really_ are dragonborn, they can teach you how to use your gift."

"Didn't you hear the thundering sound as you returned to Whiterun?" The man in nordic armor spoke up. Meliodas remembered when he was back in the Drunken Huntsman. When he had been putting King to bed, he had heard a strange voice echoing inside his head, saying the word, _Dovahkiin_. Meliodas nodded.

"That was the voice of the Greybeards! Summoning you to High Hrothgar!"

"It has all been prophesied…" Balgruuf nodded knowingly. Meliodas felt a wave of nostalgia. King had spoken to him about a prophecy when they were back in Bleak Falls Barrow. Something about defeating a dragon named Alduin. _The World Eater_.

"So….I have to defeat the dragon Alduin….?" Meliodas spoke up. The name came out louder than he had expected, or maybe the room became quieter when it left his mouth. Either way, it was clearly audible, and clearly gathered everyone's attention. Jarl Balgruuf shifted uneasily on his throne.

"First, you must train. You must heed your call to the Greybeards. Go there, and learn the ways of the Thu'um. The ways of the voice. Hone your skills, and become a truly powerful Dragonborn. Then, as it is prophesied, you will kill Alduin, and bring peace and balance to this troubled land. Only then, will mankind be free from the reign of the Dragons."

"Training? How long? How long will it take for me to learn the ways of the Voice?" Meliodas asked, slightly impatient. Meliodas knew he would be no match for a Dragon. Much less so with the leader of Dragons, the _Eater of Worlds_. He had barely managed to kill this one. But training seemed impractical. _Inefficient._ By the time he had finished training, who knows how many villages will have been burned to the ground? How many people slaughtered?

"I don't know. That is not for me to say. Speak to the Greybeards. They live at the top of the Throat of the World. It is the tallest mountain in all of Tamriel. You can't miss it, it's visible even from outside the castle gates. At the top is a sanctuary, where they all live. You must go there, and show them who you are. Show them, and they will train you." Balgruuf finished. Elizabeth spoke up,

"But how will we get there? The climb must be dangerous….and the cold unbearable. How will we find our way?"

"There is a path leading from the bottom at the village of Ivarstead, in the Reach. Go to Riften, stock up on supplies there. It's not….the safest of towns but it'll give you what you need. Once you're finished there, make your way to Ivarstead, and go up the path. The path should lead straight to the Greybeard's sanctuary." Meliodas remained quiet, unsure of how to respond. Fighting the dragon was one thing. Now he was being roped into fighting a war. A war for all humanity! He didn't want any of this! Sure, he was looking for a little adventure, but nothing at this scale. Deep down, he sincerely wanted to decline the quest, go home, and drink away the night till he passed out, like King.

But he knew better.

He _was_ the Dragonborn. There was no denying it. He saw it. They saw it. They all _knew_ he was the Dragonborn. He couldn't just turn his backs on them. These people had sacrificed enough already. The way Irileth had fought for her city was admirable. Meliodas only wished he had the fighting spirit she had had when fighting the Dragon.

"Sir Meliodas? Are you alright?" Elizabeth was staring at him. Her one visible eye, wide and full of concern. Her small hand was rested on his shoulder. Meliodas looked up, and shook his head. He couldn't be so selfish. This was his home too. Skyrim was his home. There was no escaping this quest. He was not only doing this for others, but also for himself. Meliodas knew he wasn't selfless. He wanted to be. He admired those that were. But he knew that deep down what mattered to him was himself. And because he knew that his life was on the line, he knew he would have to do it. Quick as a whip, Meliodas flashed his signature grin.

"Yeah, I'm great. I suppose we'd better rest up then. We've got a journey ahead of us." Meliodas bowed respectfully at the Jarl before strutting off towards the front door. Elizabeth timidly bowed also, and quickly ran behind Meliodas. The Jarl laughed, glad to hear of the good news.

"Fantastic! I'll grant my court wizard, King, permission to assist you on your quest Meliodas! And, so that you may reach your destination sooner, I've set up a wagon down for you at the stables. It'll be stocked with supplies by tonight. You have my blessings Dragonborn. May the gods be with you!"

"Hear Hear!" The rest of the party guests toasted, raising their tankards and chalices into the air, spilling wine and beer all over the floor as Meliodas walked past them. Pride welled up in his chest as he walked through the giant wooden doors. Elizabeth followed close behind, slipping through the door just before the Whiterun guards outside closed it behind her.

The Dragonborn quietly walked down the stone steps leading from Dragonsreach. Elizabeth eyed him carefully. She noticed; his hand grasped his sword handle tightly, like a paranoid thief sneaking through the streets. He barely looked at her, or even spoke to her. She was merely a shadow behind him; nonexistent. Elizabeth knew something was wrong. It was written all over his face. Just as they were walking towards the entrance to The Drunken Huntsman, Elizabeth suddenly slipped in front of the doorway.

"Elizabe-"

"Sir Meliodas." Elizabeth's words were strong and confident. Meliodas was taken aback. It occurred to him; when Elizabeth wanted to get serious, she got serious, "What's wrong?" The Dragonborn flashed his teeth.

"Wrong? Nothing! We just killed a dragon, and now we're going on an adventure! What could be wrong? C'mon, let's go get a drink-" Meliodas reached for the door handle, when his hand was quickly slapped away.

"Ow!"

"You're lying." Elizabeth accused. Meliodas raised an eyebrow.

"I would never lie about drinking-Ow!" Elizabeth slapped him again, "What?!"

" _What's wrong_?" She repeated her question. Meliodas stood quietly for a moment.

"Alright you got me…." Meliodas sighed. Elizabeth relaxed, waiting to hear what had been bothering him. "King took a few shots and he's knocked out in the back-OUCH!" Elizabeth hit him again. "Aw c'mon! It was just a few shots! Ouch!" Again, she smacked him in the arm with her hand. For someone as petite as herself, Meliodas hadn't imagined being smacked by her to hurt so much.

" _Meliodas? What's really wrong?_ " Elizabeth questioned. Meliodas frowned. Instead of making a go for the door, this time he turned to the side, and sat down against the wall. Slowly, he allowed his body to slide down against the wall into a sitting position on the grass. The moon now hung overhead, it's subtle lighting illuminating the ground around them. Meliodas crossed his legs, and stared down in between them. Elizabeth sat down on her knees next to him. With a slight bit of hesitation, Elizabeth rested her hand on top his.

"Are you alright?" She asked. Meliodas pondered for a moment. He knew lying to her at this point would be redundant. She had already proven the accuracy of her lie detector. He let out a weary sigh,

"I'm not sure Elizabeth. When I first came to Jarl Balgruuf, I offered my services because I was told there would be a reward. I didn't do it for the glory, or because I wanted to help the city. I did it because it offered gold. I've been in debt for a long time you see….and with this….with this, Hawk and I were going to pay off our debts and finally live a life of ease. Now….now I'm told I have to save the world….do you have any idea what that's like? To have so many people looking up to you like that? To have the whole world resting on your shoulders?" The smile from Meliodas's face had long gone, and was replaced by quite the opposite. Elizabeth could not recall ever seeing Meliodas so depressed before.

Meliodas felt Elizabeth's hands grasp his own. He looked over to her. She was smiling, and a small tear had formed in the corner of her right eye.

"You don't have to walk this path alone Meliodas. We'll be there with you, every step of the way. Me, King, and even Hawk. We'll all do this, _together_." Meliodas, despite his desire to retain his dignity, felt tears well up in his eyes as well. Without muttering a word, Meliodas brought Elizabeth into a warm hug. He could feel the stress leaving his body. His muscles relaxed, and his brain calmed. A blanket of warmth overcame his body.

Elizabeth was happy. Seeing a friend in despair was something she could never stand. But after all they had been through so far, seeing Meliodas in despair was worse than anything she had ever experienced. Making him feel better sent pure joy into her heart. As they hugged, she felt safe and content in his arms. She wished the hug would last forever.

And then she felt it.

Out of nowhere, she suddenly felt something grab at her rear. For a split second, she nearly screamed, thinking it was a snake or an insect. Then her face reddened. _She knew exactly what it was_. Five digits on each side squeezed her rear gently. Elizabeth's eyes quickly bolted open.

 _WACK!_

Meliodas suddenly found himself smacked in the face by those same, small, warm hands that had been holding him close just moments ago.

"You're just great at ruining perfect moments, you know that?" Elizabeth scolded, crossing her arms with her back towards Meliodas. Meliodas raised an eyebrow,

"Perfect moment you say?" Elizabeth's face turned red once again as she thought over what she had said. Without warning, Meliodas received another smack across the head. Elizabeth angrily stormed away, throwing open the door to the Drunken Huntsman, and disappearing inside, leaving Meliodas alone. The Dragonborn scratched his head, baffled.

"What'd I do?"

 **Haafingar District ~ Outside Solitude**

The Haafingar district lay to the west side of Skyrim. The ground was harder than that of the Whiterun district, yet its soil was just as rich. The ocean to the north seeped into the land, its fingers creeping inward, forming small marshes and rivers. Further west, the mountains began. Their rocky slopes leveled out as they pressed eastward, creating rocky terrain. In the middle of both the marshes, and the mountains, lay a small patch of green land ripe for civilization. And it was here, Solitude stood.

Solitude was a grand city, built next to a rocky cliff, it's palace extended onto a protruding island. A large bridge branched over the gap, connecting the palace to the rest of the city. It was here, that the Imperial Legion was stationed. Solitude was its headquarters, and contained a plethora of Imperial troops, waiting to be stationed. At the head of this military installation, stood General Hendrickson.

A seasoned soldier, with short grey hair and a small goatee on his chin. He was easily distinguishable from the other troops by his golden plated cuirass with black leather faulds. Often times, he would remain in the castle, planning, organizing, and supervising movements for the empire's troops.

 **General Hendrickson ~ Commander of the Imperial Legion**

Overall, Solitude was a busy city: its port brought in many fishermen and merchants, and it's craftsmen brought merchants all the way from Riften just to see their wares. Indeed, the city did bring in lots of people.

Houser was one of those people.

 **Houser ~ From House Ericson**

For months, he had been hearing the reports of the Stormcloak rebellion. Ever since Dreyfus murdered High King Liones with the power of the Thu'um, the nords united under his name, and started a rebellion, promising to free Skyrim from the Empire's presence. Originally, Houser had decided to ignore the war, and hope that maybe it would all blow over soon. However, when he began hearing reports of prejudice against races other than nords from the Stormcloaks, he saw he had no choice.

In Rorikstead, Houser was known for being one of the strongest, hardworking men around. He helped people when he could. And in Rorikstead, there was always someone in need of help. The dismal little town always had another empty grave to fill, another body to cart away. The war had been taxing on the people of Skyrim. For so long he had ignored them. Now, he could only shame himself for not acting sooner.

Up ahead, the Giant metal gates of Solitude loomed before him. A guard stood in front of the gates, keeping watch. On his shield, the picture of a bear was painted on in red paint. Houser approached him,

"Excuse me, where does one go to sign up for the legion?" He asked curiously. The guard threw out his chest in pride, and straightened his posture.

"There's no greater honor than to serve. If you're serious about enlisting, speak to Legate Jericho in Castle Dour." Houser nodded,

"Thanks man…"

"Oh! And you're in luck. You're just in time to see Jude get his punishment!" Houser cocked an eyebrow.

"Jude? Punishment? Who is Jude?" The guard lifted his helm, and spat into the ground next to him.

"He's the sorry bastard who's going to be executed! A gate guard who let Dreyfus escape the city, after he killed High King Liones. If you hurry, you might just make it!" The guard chided. Houser nodded, faking a grin before pushing open the metal gate. Past the gate, a small cobblestone path led to a larger stone wall, with a large set of wooden doors in the center. Two guards stood on either side of the door, along with several others keeping watch on the wall overhead. Houser cautiously walked towards the gates, and asked to be let in. One of the guards complied, and pushed open the door for him.

Before he had even stepped foot into the giant city, he could hear the jeers and yells of a crowd nearby. Just past the gate, in a small open courtyard, a large crowd surrounded a stone platform, with several figures standing atop. One man, a brute wielding a large steel axe and donning an executioner's hood, stood at a stone block, waiting patiently. In the middle of the group on the platform, stood a frail looking young man, wearing nothing but tattered clothing covered in dirt. He was a prisoner no doubt. He was shaking slightly, but held his posture high. His eyes darted to and from the stone block in front of him.

Next to the prisoner, stood two guards, one wearing a helm and guarding the steps leading to the platform, and another without headgear. He had a long black beard, and a sad look in his eyes. He held the prisoner by the arm. Of to the side of the crowd, Houser noticed a small girl speaking with an older man.

"They can't hurt Uncle Jude! Tell them he didn't do it!" She pleaded. The man rubbed his neck uncomfortably, and knelt down next to the girl.

"Svari… you need to go home. Go home and stay there until your mother comes." He ordered. The girl gave a slow nod, and walked away from the crowd, her eyes fixated on the stones in the street.

"Let's get on with it. Lock the gates." The execution continued from the head of the crowd. Houser watched as two guards behind him locked the giant wooden doors of which he had just passed through. Back on the platform, the man with the bearded chin brought the prisoner, Jude, forward. Once he was standing in front of the chopping block, the guard stood forward.

"Jude… you have been charged with assisting Dreyfus Stormcloak escape the city, after he murdered High King Liones. By opening that gates for Dreyfus, you have betrayed, and endangered the people of Solitude. You have allowed Dreyfus to return to Windhelm, and begin his rebellion. You, Jude, have allowed this war to begin. You are the bane of all of those who have lost loved ones in this war. Jude… have you any last words?" Jude stood silent for a moment. As if making one final decision, Jude lifted his head high, and stood forward. He was met instantly with cursing, and insults.

 **Jude ~ The sorry bastard who's going to be executed**

"Booo!"

"He doesn't deserve to speak!"

"Traitor!"

"Kill the traitor!"

"Lousy gatekeeper! Kill him!" The crowd screamed. Some began throwing rotten leeks, tomatoes, and cabbages. Nevertheless, Jude stood tall, ignoring the crowd, and yet addressing them at the same time.

"You have all been deceived! There was no murder! Dreyfus did not murder High King Liones! He challenged him! To a joust in combat! Dreyfus beat the High King in fair combat!" The booing continued. More food was thrown at him, but Jude continued, "Such is our way! Such is the ancient custom of Skyrim, and all Nords!" Jude's words only aggravated the crowd. One man even began to climb the platform to get to him, but he was quickly pushed off by the stationed guard. The bearded guard stepped forward, and pulled Jude back to the chopping block.

"Very well Jude...bow your head…" The bearded guard pressed his knee into the back of Jude's leg, causing him to fall to his knees. Placing his other hand on his head, the bearded guard positioned Jude's head on the chopping block. Off to the side, the executioner stepped forward, raising his axe above his head slowly. The light from the torches gleamed against the smooth, clean steel of the axe as it rose above his head. Houser watched as Jude closed his eyes,

"Tonight, I go to sovngarde-" His words were silenced with a sickening slice. Jude's head rolled around on the stone platform. Blood spurted out of his body parts, creating a small pool at the foot of the chopping block. Houser found himself startled when the crowd erupted in cheers. Screams of "death to all traitors" and "death to Dreyfus" echoed through the city streets. Houser watched glumly as guards disbanded, leaving Jude's body on display on the platform.

Nearly everyone had dissipated at this point, and Houser had decided it would be best to move along. Turning around, he managed to spot the bearded guard from before, walking up a large set of stone stairs. Houser jogged over to him,

"H-Hey? Hello? Excuse me?" The man turned around, a disinterested look was evident on his face,

"Yeah?" He asked. Houser cleared his throat,

"I was wondering, where exactly one would find Legate Jericho? I was told to report to her if I wanted to join the legion…" The man eyed Houser carefully. After he had finished his 'inspection', he let out a satisfied humph.

"Well… I suppose the legion could use a man like you. Legate Jericho is currently in Castle Dour. Follow me, I'll lead you to the door." Turning back around, the bearded guard continued up the steps, towards the citadel. It was a giant stone fortress, fortified with bastions at each corner.

"By the way, the name's Aldis. _Captain_ Aldis. I usually train the new recruits, but with the way the war's been going, I might just see some action soon."

 **Captain Aldis ~ Trainer of Imperial Troops**

Aldis led Houser through a stone archway, leading into the citadel's courtyard. He stopped in front of a wooden door, leading to a rectangular stone tower connected to the inner citadel. "This is it," He pointed to the door, "I'll let you handle it from here." With that, Aldis walked back towards the other end of the courtyard, presumably to the barracks.

"Well all right then… here goes nothing…" Houser calmed himself, smoothing out his green tunic. With a deep breath, he pushed the door open.

 **Castle Dour ~ Solitude**

The cold nightly breeze disappeared as he stepped foot into the castle, and was replaced by a warm glow from torches hung against the walls. Inside Castle Dour, Imperial soldiers stood almost guarding every entrance. Several of them patrolled the halls, walking back and forth, and investigating anything suspicious. It was quiet, except for the muffled sounds of two voices arguing. Unsure as to where to go, Houser followed the sound of the voices.

Following the echoes of the voices reverberating off the walls, Houser soon found himself standing at the entrance of a large room. A large table sat in the middle of the room, with a map spread out on top of it. Small blue and red flags stood on several locations over the map, indicating some military point of some sort. Houser wasn't exactly sure what they meant, but he doubted he would need to know.

On one side of the table, stood a young woman, clad in heavy imperial armor. Her armor was polished, and clean, devoid of any scratches. A large red cape was draped behind her back, causing Houser to assume she was some high ranking military officer. She had silver-colored hair, with what seemed like a hint of lavender dye. Her face was young, and clean, and quite beautiful. In his mind, Houser wondered if this young girl truly was someone high in the ranks.

"I'm telling you, Dreyfus is planning an attack on Whiterun." Her voice surprised Houser. It wasn't feminine, or petite, at all. If anything, it almost seemed masculine. Though, traces of her feministic self still managed to break through, reminding Houser that she was, indeed, still a young woman.

 **Legate Jericho ~ Chief Lieutenant of the Imperial Forces**

"He'd be insane to try… he doesn't have the men." General Hendrickson disputed. He paced back and forth, while Jericho leaned over the table. It became apparent to Houser that neither of them had noticed his presence yet.

"That's not what my scouts report sir… every day more people join his cause. Riften, Dawnstar, and Winterhold support him." Jericho pointed out. Hendrickson shook his head,

"It's not a cause… it's a rebellion." Jericho nodded reluctantly,

"Call it whatever you like, General. The man's going to try to take Whiterun." Hendrickson rubbed his temple, contemplating his choices.

"Jarl Balgruuf…" he began. Houser was surprised, once again, when Jericho interrupted.

"Jarl Balgruuf refuses the Legion's right to garrison troops in his city." She pointed out. She slouched backwards, crossing her arms, "On the other hand," she continued, "he also refuses to acknowledge Dreyfus's claim…"

"Well if he wants to stand outside the protection of the Empire, fine. Let Dreyfus pillage his city." Hendrickson crossed his arms defiantly.

"G-General!" Jericho was taken aback.

"You people and your damned Jarls…" Hendrickson muttered to himself, looking over the map.

"Sir… you can't force a nord to accept help he hasn't asked for." Jericho informed him. Hendrickson looked over to a small white flag stuck over Whiterun on the map. He sighed heavily, shaking his head,

"If Dreyfus is making a move for Whiterun, then we need to be there to stop him," He turned to Jericho, who stood at attention, "Draft another letter with the usual platitudes, but this time... share some of your intelligence regarding Dreyfus's plans. Embellish if you have to…" Hendrickson instructed.

"We'll let it seem like it's his idea…" Hendrickson stood up straight, and walked over to a nearby chair sitting next to a corner table. He sat down, and closed his eyes.

"Yes sir." Jericho nodded.

"You nords and your bloody sense of honor…" Hendrickson grunted.

"Sir." Jericho turned towards the door, ready to perform her required duties. When her eyes landed on Houser, she stopped in her tracks.

"And who," she began, raising an eyebrow, "might you be?"

"I'm Houser, Houser Ericson. I've come to join the Legion...uh, sir!" Houser did his best to stand at attention. Jericho merely frowned at him.

"Another one hm? Maybe we can have some use for you. Its evident that you have poor training, and I doubt you've seen much combat," Houser felt his pride diminish. He had gone from being a large fish in a small pond, to a minnow in an ocean, "Perhaps we have some other job for you to do… a test, if you will, to see if you're Legion material." Hope arose within him.

"A test?" Jericho nodded, grinning.

"Yes, a test. In fact, I can think of something you can do for me


	7. Chapter 7: Hitting the Road

**Author's note: I hope that I am developing things so that it's easy to understand for people who have never played Skyrim. If you guys need any clarifications, please tell me. Also, just a question: Does this little intro in every chapter bother you guys? If so, tell me in the comments, as I'd love to hear your feedback.**

 **This is a tale like no other. Where myths and legends are a reality. In the land known as Skyrim, a great plague has fallen unto the people. On the break of war between two distinct sides, Skyrim grows more conflicted by the minute. But, there is more to this story than meets the eye. A great danger awakens from it's slumber, keen on reaping it's revenge on those that had sealed it away. In desperate times like these, the people of Skyrim look to the heavens for a sign of hope, for a savior to save them all. That savior, is the Dragonborn.**

 **\- Hitting the Road -**

"A bounty?" Houser inspected the tattered parchment Jericho had given him. The wanted poster illustrated a younger looking man, with short, spiky hair, and a scar running across his neck. His narrow eyes gave him a dangerous look along with his well toned body. He looked down at the name,

 _Ban the Greedy_

Houser, once again, felt his pride diminish. This, 'Ban' looked incredibly strong. _This guy looks even more built than me!_ He instinctively checked his own muscles.

"Yes, a bounty. We've been trying to grab _this_ one for a long time. He's not easy to find, but we think we've found his hideout. You, Captain Aldis, and I will go to these coordinates," Jericho pointed to a marking on the large map in the middle of the room, "and arrest him. If he should refuse justice, then you'll have your first taste of combat."

"Jericho, I need you here. We've got a war to fight." Hendrickson spoke up. Jericho stood at attention,

"Sir, may I request that I take this young soldier, along with Captain Aldis and other recruits, on a training mission sir?" Hendrickson's face remained unchanged. He seemed to maintain a stoic look; his thick grey eyebrows furrowed over his narrow eyes. His facial expressions were limited to frowning, grimacing, and an occasional grunt.

"Our forces are spread thin as they are Legate." Hendrickson retorted.

"Sir, If I may, how are we supposed to win a war with untrained recruits who can't tell the hilt of their sword from the point. Let me take these men; give them some _actual_ field practice, and I promise, we'll yield results." Houser could hear the determination in her voice. Hendrickson hesitated, then nodded.

"Alright then. Finish this….chore, and then report back to me as soon as you can. Consider this a leave of absence. Report anything Stormcloak activity to me personally." Jericho brought her right fist to her left breast in salute.

"Thank you sir." Houser followed suit,

"Yes! Thank you s-"

"Speak only when you are spoken to!"

"Yes ma'am-" Jericho shot him a look. Houser quickly shut his mouth.

"We'll return as soon as the mission is completed General." Jericho swiftly turned about, exiting through the door Houser had entered through. Houser followed her lead, leaving General Hendrickson to his battle plans.

"I'll gather some of the troops. You should go to Captain Aldis, he'll get you outfitted and ready to go." The thought of armor reminded Houser of how tired he was. He had been traveling for at least two days. He needed to have some rest. Surely the legionaries slept?

"Isn't it a bit late?" Houser spoke up as Jericho was walking away. She stopped abruptly and turned towards him.

"It's never too late to bring Justice to a common criminal. Suit up. We're leaving in ten minutes."

 **King**

King opened his eyes. A bright light welcomed him instead of the roof he had been sleeping under. Upon the sudden realization that he was no longer in the Drunken Huntsman, King sat up shaking. He quickly looked about him, trying to figure out where he actually was.

Warm sand surrounded him, next to a shallow river. The waters were smooth, and quiet. Trees and grass popped out of the ground further from the bank. The leaves were a beautiful mixture of colors; red, green, brown, yellow. The light filtered through the trees, giving the forest a majestic look. For some reason he couldn't explain, King was getting a sense of nostalgia. The place _seemed_ familiar, but he just couldn't place his finger on it.

"Where am I?" King wondered.

Standing up, King brushed off the sand from his robes. It was only then that he noticed that he was soaking wet. The cold clothing stuck to his body and sent shivers down his spine. King reluctantly pulled off his mage's robe. He kept his pants, shoes, and shirt on. He didn't want to be seen wandering around naked, like some sort of savage. Leaving his robe on a nearby branch, King made his way down the bank. Rivers usually led to a mill, or some sort of village. Civilizations always thrived near rivers; it was only a matter of time before he found one. Right?

Walking down the bank, a new piece of scenery came into view. A bridge. On it were a couple of figures, too far away for King to distinguish. _Maybe these people can help me! They'll give me directions!_ King picked up his pace, jogging lightly towards the people on the bridge. Halfway down the bank, he began to pick out their distinguishing features. His pace slowed. There was a cart, and a horse. A young girl sat on the cart, along with what looked like a young boy. Three men stood in front of the cart.

"No…." It was happening again. King felt himself start running towards them at full speed. He needed to stop them! He could stop this! Just as he was reaching the bridge, a body fell over the bridge. King stared into the water as the body surfaced. It was a young boy, wearing blue robes, with light brown hair. It was himself. It was King. He stared as the body slowly floated downstream, unable to tear his eyes away from the sight of his own body.

"KING!" Elaine. His sister's scream broke his trance. King scrambled up the side of the road towards the top of the bridge. The white haired bandit held Elaine tightly in his muscular arms. He held a knife in one hand, threateningly.

"Don't you touch her!" King threatened. The three bandits turned back around, facing King once again.

"Didn't I get rid of you, _boy_? This is becoming more trouble than it's worth. Kill her." King's strength plummeted to zero as he heard those last words. His eyes quickly darted over to his little sister's. Her blue eyes stared back at his. They were pleading with him, praying for him to save her. _They_ _begged him_.

Then the white haired bandit brought the knife across her throat.

"NO!"

 _THUMP!_

King woke up. He was not on a beach. He was not fighting bandits. _It was all just a dream_. His body currently lay against the wooden floor of the Drunken Huntsman. Sweat covered his face. HIs forehead pounded like nothing he had ever felt before. Like a drummer slamming mallets against the frontal lobe of his brain, his head throbbed to a steady beat. Groaning loudly, King attempted to stand on his feet. His legs quickly buckled beneath him, bringing him to the floor again. As he tried to stand up again, he could hear voices murmuring from behind his door.

"Is Sir King alright?" It was Elizabeth's voice no doubt.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm sure he's just fine. I'll go check on him." And _that_ , was Meliodas's voice. _No doubt_. King pulled himself back onto his bed, sitting on the edge of the mattress. He held his forehead in his hand, rubbing his temple in an attempt to soothe the throbbing pain. From the other side of the room, the door opened up. In came Meliodas, bright as ever, holding a tankard.

"Morning King. How're ya feelin'?" He asked in a chipper mood. King slowly turned his head towards the Dragonborn, glaring at him. The deep bags under his eyes only intensified his glare.

" _What did you give me last night_ …." He gritted through his teeth. Meliodas tapped his chin thoughtfully.

"Hm….you know, I can't say I remember. It could've been some Argonian Ale…." Meliodas continued thinking.

" _I hate you_." King grimaced. Meliodas chuckled and sat down next to King, throwing an arm over his shoulder.

"Aw, c'mon. It's not my fault you're a lightweight. Besides, we've got a big day today! Time to get up! Elizabeth's already started packing." King groaned and fell back into his bed, closing his eyes.

"I'm too tired….thanks to _you_ , I've got this pounding headache. Give me five more minutes…."

"Yeah, I wish I could….but Elizabeth already yelled at me for waking up late, and said I'd better wake _you_ up so we can get on our way before the sun starts setting-" King sat up abruptly, his bloodshot eyes wide open.

"It's already late in the afternoon?!"

"Yup." King looked down at the mug Meliodas was holding. His eyes narrowed.

"What's that."

"Ashfire mead. They say it's good for waking you up."

"..."

"Get the HELL out of here you drunk!" Meliodas suddenly found himself pushed out the door as it slammed behind him. Meliodas shrugged.

"Who said it was for you anyway." As he took a sip from the mug, Elizabeth walked over to him, carrying a small crate.

"How did it go?" Meliodas stared blankly at her for a moment.

"Perfectly!" His eyes flashed as he gave her a thumbs up.

 **Several hours later ~ Whiterun Stables**

Meliodas pushed the last crate of supplies onto the back of the cart. King sat in the back, eyes half closed. He was the sleepiest of the three, having still not recovered from his drinking accident last night. Hawk was curled up next to him, dozing away. Elizabeth sat at the reigns. It was unanimously decided that she was the most responsible one of them, and most trustworthy with the reigns of the horses. Meliodas walked over to the side of the cart next to Elizabeth, and pulled himself up next to her.

"That's everything."

"Good. Then we can finally be on our way. Are you alright back there Sir King?" Elizabeth called. No answer. Elizabeth and Meliodas looked behind them. King had finally passed out. His head lay against a pillow set up against some of the crates.

"I'm honestly surprised he stayed awake till now." Meliodas commented. Elizabeth pulled out a map from her pack. Spreading it out on her lap, she searched for Riften.

"Riften is all the way out in the Rift." Elizabeth pointed towards a small icon to the eastern side of the map. The icon was Riften's insignia; two crossed swords. Elizabeth then brought her finger down a small line through a series of mountains, "If we stick to the White River, we'll get through these mountains. Then we'll come across the marshes. Once we get through there, we just follow this road to Riften." Meliodas looked at the map.

"Right. Then, once we've stocked up on supplies, we'll head over to Ivarstead, and make our way up the mountain." His finger traced a small path leading across the Rift towards the name 'Ivarstead'.

Meliodas took the map from Elizabeth and folded it up while she took hold of the reigns. With a gentle flick of the reigns, Elizabeth got the horses moving down the road. The night was cool, yet still warm. The night sky was bright, and clear. So clear, that you could see all of the stars and constellations. Meliodas stared at them as the cart shook and rattled against the cobblestone road.

"Elizabeth?" She turned towards him for a moment,

"Yes?" Her eyes returned to the road. Meliodas continued staring up at the sky, resting his chin on his knee.

"What do you think we'll find there. At the throat of the world?" Elizabeth quietly mulled the thought over before responding.

"I honestly don't know. But I'm sure it'll be fascinating!" Meliodas looked back at her.

"I would've thought you'd have more to say than 'fascinating'. You sound like King when he finds a pretty flower or something." Elizabeth giggled and brushed a strand of hair out of her face.

"Honestly Sir Meliodas, I don't know….but I'm just excited to be experiencing it with you guys. Whatever it is, I'm sure we'll be ready for it!" Elizabeth always displayed so much determination, so much courage for such a tavern girl. Meliodas sometimes wondered how she managed to keep it up. Some people had a miraculous resistance against depression; they would always stare at the tankard as half full. You could call her an Optimist.

Meliodas liked that about Elizabeth. Even when the going got tough, she still fought through it till the end. She didn't run, or cower away. Her strengths didn't lie in her sword arm, or her magic capabilities. And she knew that. She just chose to ignore it, and fight in other ways. She used her heart; to rally the troops, to boost morale, and to give encouragement. Meliodas guessed that some would see such attributes as pathetic, but not him. Every army needed a flag bearer to rally the troops, or a lute player to boost their spirits. When the going got tough, morale would almost always prove to be one of the greatest downfalls of an army. Elizabeth, however, showed no shortage of willpower, of hope. And Meliodas feared they would need every ounce of hope they could get if he would have to face off against Alduin.

Meliodas didn't want to think about it. Thinking about it usually ended up with him staring blankly off into space, and Elizabeth getting all concerned and such. He didn't want her to worry. He could handle it. It was his burden, not hers.

The road from Whiterun eventually ran up alongside the White River, just as the map had said. Meliodas had dozed off, and Elizabeth was getting tired. Even the constant bumping of the wagon had stopped waking her up when she began to doze off. Slowly, she pulled the wagon to the side of a road, near a large cluster of trees. It was late in the night now, and quite dark. The only light visible was the luminescence of the moon and the stars.

Elizabeth stopped the wagon, and tied the horses up to a nearby tree. Once the horses were secured, she went back to the wagon to get the others. "Sir Meliodas? We're stopping for the night, I thought we would make camp here." Meliodas groggily pulled his head up from his arms, and looked back at her.

"Huh?"

"We're making camp here. I'll go wake King. Then we'll get the sleeping bags out and rest here." Meliodas nodded, still half asleep. Elizabeth walked over to the back of the wagon to wake King and Hawk. Meanwhile, Meliodas attempted to get out of the cart, only to fall flat on his face.

"Sir King? Sir Hawk? We're taking a rest here. Come out of the wagon so we can set up camp." King opened his eyes and sat up, surprisingly not as tired as he had been before. Elizabeth guessed he had gotten a good amount of sleep while she and Meliodas were talking.

"Oh? We're making camp? Alright…." The mage hopped out of the wagon and helped Elizabeth pull out the sleeping bags.

Before long, the three of them had set up their sleeping bags around a small fire. Over the fire, Elizabeth cooked three slabs of meat on a spit. When they had finished their small dinner, they gave their scraps to Hawk, who happily gobbled them all down. Meliodas brought out drinks afterwards, though King was quick to deny the offer. He had had enough drinking for the time being.

"Suit yourself." Meliodas shrugged and chugged down his tankard. Even Elizabeth partook in the drinking of alcohol, though she of course, drank much less than Meliodas. Before long, they were all sleepy again, and had begun drifting back to sleep. The fire they had built was beginning to dwindle. King was selected (by Meliodas of course) to take the first shift while they slept, and to get firewood. Begrudgingly, King set off into the forest to gather more firewood.

"Of course he selects me to have the first shift." King began talking to himself as he gathered small sticks and logs, "There won't even _be_ shifts. He'll just fall asleep, and he knows I'm not going to disturb Elizabeth while she sleeps." King stubbornly kicked a small stone into a nearby pool of water. "And it's not like Hawk would be any use being a watchguard. He'll probably fall asleep in a matter of minutes….then again, It's not like I'd trust Meliodas as the watch. Ugh, why must I do all the work?" King's eyes landed on a nearby log.

The tree had fallen down a while back, like something had pressed against it. It's trunk had been splintered into several pieces, with large chunks of wood scattered about. One log in particular was of a good size, and looked reasonably dry. It would make perfect firewood. King walked over to the log and began pulling it up onto his shoulder.

"Ah!" King let out a startled cry when a small spider crawled up his arm from under the log. He quickly brushed it off and watched as it scuttled away. King wasn't particularly afraid of spiders, or any insects for that matter. He was very good with nature. Ever since he was a boy, he was interested in the forests, and the creatures living about them. He and Elaine would often camp out in the woods together, exploring it together.

 _Elaine_.

He only hoped that she was still alive. King resumed picking up the log, and brought it over his shoulder. He quickly felt the strength in his legs decline. He had underestimated the weight of the log. That, or he had overestimated the strength of his arms. Either way, he now realized it was too big for him to carry. As his knees buckled, King tossed the log off to the side, panting heavily.

"How am I supposed to bring that back?" He wondered. He stared at the log, trying to figure out a way to make it easier for transportation. Then, suddenly, he heard a scream.

"AAAAAAHHHHHH!"

It was a young woman's scream. King's body quickly went into full alert, his eyes darted about him for the source of the screaming. Initially, he worried it was Elizabeth's scream, and that she was in danger. Then he heard it again,

"AAAAHHHH! Get it away from me! EW!"

The voice was definitely not Elizabeth's. It was someone in the forest! Someone in danger! Summoning Chastiefol in his hands, King dropped his pile of sticks and began trotting through the forest, searching for the source of the screaming. As he hopped over dead logs and splintered trunks, he noticed a trail made through the forest. A new path had been made; knocked over trees and splintered wood made way for a new path. _What sort of creature could've made this?_ King wondered.

"HELP! GET IT AWAY!"

The pleas called out again. The voice seemed oddly familiar. King quickened his pace.

"Hold on! I'm coming! Just stay where you are! I'll be right there!" King followed the new path. As he brushed past trees and crushed bushes, a small branch caught on his robe, almost ripping it off him. In his rush to get to the voice, he quickly pulled it off and continued. "I'm coming! Hold on!" He could feel the adrenaline running in his veins. He would not fail this woman, whoever it was. He wouldn't fail again. Not like that time on the bridge. He would save them. King picked up his speed. A branch scratched at his cheek, but he pressed onwards.

The path of fallen trees and splintered wood finally opened up to a small clearing. A small patch of open ground surrounded by trees sat next to a dark cave. The interior of the cave was too dark for King to see inside of, even from where he was. King jogged over to the center of the clearing, looking for any sign of the woman.

"Where are you? Hello?!" King called out frantically. He stared back out towards the path of trees. Maybe he had gone the wrong way? He began to retrace his steps when he heard a hissing sound from behind him. He quickly spun around, Chastiefol at the ready in his hands. It was another giant spider! Just like the one they had encountered in Bleak Falls Barrow! King feared it could possibly even be bigger than the last. He slowly backed away, Chastiefol pointing in front of him in a defensive position. Meliodas and Elizabeth were back at the camp, and he didn't think he could outrun the monster! He quickly brought up a bright flame in his palm, and lit the tip of Chastiefol aflame. Bracing himself, King prepared to throw the enchanted weapon straight into the spider's eyes.

"TAAAAKKEE THIS-" King's words were suddenly silenced when the spider was abruptly crushed by a giant wall. The force of the object caused King to fall backwards onto his back. Chastiefol flew out of his hands. A cloud of dust covered his surroundings. Dazed and confused, King rubbed his blurry eyes, and squinted back at where the spider once stood.

The monster's legs were all that remained, sticking out from underneath the giant brown wall. It's green blood was splattered all over the place; on him, the ground, and even the mysterious object. King's vision cleared, and he realized that it wasn't a wall at all.

It was a boot.

Now, as a court wizard, King had seen many things in his short lifetime. Trolls breathing fire, an unusually large bandit using two-handed battleaxes like kitchen knives, and yes, even a _bartender_ killing a dragon by _shouting_ a sword through it's skull! Still, nothing compared to what lay before him now.

The massive brown wall was, in reality, a giant, leather, boot. King's eyes slowly followed the boot up to a giant leg. His eyes traced along the curvaceous lines of the leg till it met a well rounded torso. King could feel his heartbeat triple as he continued staring. Past the torso, her well endowed chest pushed against her leather armor. Finally, his eyes landed on a face. It was a young woman, probably in her early 20's. She had a large purple eyes that sparkled like amethysts. Her long dark brown hair was pulled back into two ponytails on either side of her head. King stared at her dumbly, mesmerized by her face. It was the most beautiful face he had ever seen. Everything from her sparkling purple eyes, to her cute ponytails enthralled him. He could feel his face growing red just from staring at her. It was only when she spoke, that he snapped out of his trance.

"EWWW! Oh my god! Is it dead! Please tell me it's dead! I hate bugs!" King watched as she lifted her boot, inspecting the gooey mess on the bottom. She shivered at the sight of it, "Eugh, great, now I have to scrape it off…." King sat silently, too afraid to say anything. The girl had to be at least 30 feet tall! He couldn't help but stare in fright, and awe. Then, his worst fear became a reality. She stared at him.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. Are you alright?" She asked him. King sat silently for a moment, not saying a word. She stared at him curiously, a concerned look in her eye. King had to fight his own nerves to stand himself up. His body was shaking uncontrollably, fear dominating his every move. His brain screamed for him to calm down, that she meant no harm. She was asking if he was alright! She was a kind person! She could be trusted! She was beautiful!

King opened his mouth to speak.

"AAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Fear had won the battle. King turned about and began sprinting as fast as he could back to the camp. He couldn't handle it. Her immense size was too intimidating! His knees shook and his thighs burned as he scrambled through the forest. He could hear the girl sigh from behind him,

"Ugh….they always run…."

King kept running. Maybe she wouldn't follow him? Maybe he was safe? Then again, deep down in some small crevice in his brain, he almost _hoped_ she would find him. Why would he even think that! He couldn't help but question his own sanity as he dashed through the brush towards the camp. Up ahead, he could see a giant log, hollowed out on the inside. _I can hide in there!_ King quickly changed direction, running as fast as he could towards the log. He suddenly lost his footing as the earth around him shook slightly.

 _She's after me!_

King quickly got to his feet, scrambling towards the log. He was almost there! With a final burst of energy, King dove headfirst into the log. His face collided with the soft, earthen floor of the hollowed tree. Not even waiting to brush the dirt off his face, King clung to the wall of the tree, panting heavily as the small tremors continued. His only concern now was if he had managed to escape. His eyes darted about him, like a caged animal. The other end of the log was blocked off by a mound of dirt and eroded wood.

King felt a wave of goosebumps run up his arm, as a small tingly feeling ran along his hand. He let out a startled scream, waving his hand about. His heartbeat was thumping incredibly fast, and his breathing was becoming shortened. King stared down at his hand, only to realized it was a small ant. He facepalmed, disappointed that he had gotten scared over nothing more than a simple ant.

The tremors had stopped. King's heartbeat slowed down to a semi-normal pace. Feeling brave, and a bit curious, King creeped towards the open end of the log. Careful not to expose too much of himself, the mage peered out from his hiding spot. He looked left; nothing but trees. He looked right; the only thing there was the path of knocked down trees and splintered wood. He looked ahead; it was clear.

"I lost her…." King let out a sigh of relief, crawling out from the log.

"Hi."

He had not taken five steps out from the log when a feminine voice called from behind him. King turned around slowly, his shaking increasing as he did so. His eyes finally landed on those beautiful amethyst eyes. It was her. The giant girl. She was crouching over his log, chin in her hands and elbows on her knees. It was obvious that she had been waiting for him. King felt for his spear, only to realize that he had left it back in the clearing.

The two stared in silence. Then, the giant girl reached an arm behind her. King opened his mouth, ready to scream for help. Maybe Meliodas and Elizabeth would hear him? Maybe they could come to his rescue!

"You're seriously not going to start that again are you?" She asked, a bit disappointed. King shut his mouth. The girl brought back her hand from behind her back. Slowly, like a child reaching toward a bird, she held out her hand. In the center of her palm, sat Chastiefol. King stared at his spear, then back at the girl, then back at the spear, and back at the girl again.

"Well? What're you waiting for? Take it."

Hands shaking, King warily reached out for his spear, keeping his eyes on her face the whole time. When he felt his fingers wrap securely around the handle of the spear, he quickly whipped his hands back, bringing the spear to his chest defensively. The girl slowly retracted her hand. They sat in silence again, staring at one another.

"So….is this normally how you speak with people? By staring at them?" The girl asked. King shook his head. The giantess rolled her eyes, and put on her best smile.

"Well, I'm Diane. Nice to meet you!"

 **Diane ~ Pleased to meet you!**

She stuck out her hand, reaching only a couple feet away from King's face. Slowly, he rose his hand to meet hers. His was miniscule in comparison! She could easily close her whole hand around his arm, no, his whole waist! King stood in awe as he shook her massive hand.

"What's your name?" She asked. King's mind suddenly turned back on. Survival instinct and fear had had total control for the past five minutes. Now, he needed to switch back to his normal state. King opened his mouth to speak,

"King! There you are!" It was Meliodas's voice that spoke for him. Diane instantly spun around towards the approaching voices. Meliodas, Elizabeth, and Hawk appeared from the bushes. Meliodas and Elizabeth had their swords drawn, and Meliodas was standing in a battle ready position. King was about to speak when he suddenly found himself unable to move.

A soft, warm wall had enclosed around him. Then, the world suddenly changed. He was no longer standing on the ground. He was moving! The world spun so fast his eyes couldn't keep up. Then, it stopped. He was no longer on the ground. He was held in suspension by two walls on either side of him. King's brain spun around, trying to make sense of what had just happened. When the spinning stopped, he stared around him.

Far below him, stood Elizabeth, Meliodas, and Hawk. They looked so much smaller now. So did the trees! Everything looked smaller! But why? Was he flying? King reached to scratch his head when his hand ran along a soft, smooth, warm surface. He rubbed his hand along it, wondering what it was.

"Don't worry! You'll be safe from the bandit's in there! I'll deal with these guys!" A thunderous voice called from above. It was at this point that King realized something he hadn't before. He wasn't flying. No, indeed, he was not. He had instantaneously found himself a one-way ticket straight in between Diane's massive breasts.

His mind took a moment to register his surrounding. When it did, his face quickly turned beat red. His body temperature spiked to an all new level, and he found that he was beginning to sweat. Diane stared down at him, full of concern.

"What's wrong? You're sweating! You're so warm! Did they poison you? They did, didn't they!" She looked back at the three down at the ground. "What did you do?!" Diane demanded. In her hands, she held a giant warhammer, ready to squash the enemies before her.

Meliodas suddenly had an idea. Bringing his sword down, the Dragonborn sheathed his weapon. Elizabeth stared at him in shock.

"What are you doing?!" Meliodas brought her over, laying his arm on her shoulder. Hawk trotted over to the huddle.

"Guys, I don't think we can win if we fight her. Not only does she look tough, but she's also holding King hostage." Meliodas pointed out.

"Yeah, but what do we do? We can't just run!" Hawk protested. Meliodas nodded sincerely.

"Truly, we can't. But I've got an idea."

"What?" Elizabeth wondered. Meliodas grinned and rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"We'll bargain with her."

"With what?" Hawk questioned. Meliodas waved the pig off.

"Don't worry, I've got this." Breaking up the small huddle, the Dragonborn turned to face Diane once again. King remained frozen, not daring to move, and then again, not wanting to move. Meliodas took a step forward, bowing before her.

"Oh great giant, we mean no disrespect. We only ask that you return our friend to us, so that we may leave in peace." Elizabeth raised an eyebrow at Meliodas's obviously scripted acting. Diane huffed,

"How do I know you're not bandits, and you've poisoned this young man?" She accused. Meliodas struggled not to laugh. King giggled stupidly,

"Hehehe….p-poison? No…." Meliodas spoke up.

"Oh….that's not poison. But, ahem, how about we do, a trade, perchance?" Diane remained silent, staring down at the Dragonborn.

"What could you have that I could possibly want?" She challenged.

Without warning, Meliodas grabbed Hawk.

"We humbly offer you this pork as a sign of good will!"

"I'm not an offering you bastard!" Hawk squirmed and struggled in Meliodas's arms. Diane suddenly found her stomach growl, and her mouth water. It had been a long while since she had had anything to eat. Even _longer_ since she had had pork. Her stance weakened, and she loosened her grip on the warhammer.

"P….Pork?" Hawk began struggling harder at the sight of hunger in Diane's eyes.

"Lemme go! Lemme go! I'm not food! NOT FOOD!"

"Hawk you're just going to have to take one for the team." Meliodas said calmly.

"I'm too young to die!" Hawk wailed. Diane reached out towards the pig, almost as if in a dream. She blinked, then shook her head, and retracted her hand.

"I'm not going to fall for any of that! That's probably poisoned too!" Meliodas sighed,

"You failed me Hawk."

"I did WHAT!" Hawk fumed.

"I see I have no choice. You won't stop until this man is dead. I'll have to stop you first, then. I'm sorry, it's nothing personal." Diane brought her warhammer, Gideon, into the air. Killing them wouldn't be too hard. The female seemed too frightened to even move, and the male seemed dumber than a rock. And the pig….well the pig would prove to be a delicious side dish! Meanwhile, King had snapped out of his trance. Realizing his friends were now in imminent danger, King struggled about in her bosom.

"No! Wait! NO! Stop!" Diane held her position, but did not bring down the hammer.

"Why? What's the matter? I'm saving you dammit!" King (reluctantly) pulled his way out of her shirt, and jumped off her chest. Before he crashed against the ground, a small poof of dark blue smoke popped under him, protecting him from smashing against the ground. When his foot touched the ground, the cloud dissipated. King quickly stood in between the two, bringing his arms out to shield his friends.

"They're actually my friends! You….you acted so quickly I didn't have time to explain!"

"I'm sure you took your sweet time." Meliodas quipped.

"Shut up!" King shot back, "Anyway, this is all just some big misunderstanding." Diane still looked skeptical.

"But what was with that fever you had a moment ago? You were burning up!" Meliodas was cracking up behind him, causing King to grow red from embarrassment.

"That wasn't a fever-"

"I said SHUT UP!" King rubbed the back of his neck nervously and laughed, "Haha, uh, yeah it was nothing. Ahem, anyways, uh, why don't you join us at our camp, and we can clear this whole thing up?" Diane rested the warhammer on the back of her shoulder and cocked an eyebrow. After a moment, she dropped her skepticism and smiled warmly.

"Yeah, sure. It's been awhile since I've eaten with company." Hawk scoffed,

"Maybe that's cause she _ate_ them…." Although the small pig didn't know it, Diane's ears had surprisingly good range, and she had picked up the pigs comment. Humming to herself, the giantess tapped her chin thoughtfully,

"Hey, I can still have the pig though right?"

"EEEEK!" Hawk shrieked and hopped into Elizabeth's confused arms. Meliodas shrugged,

"Yeah, why not."

"MELIODAS!"

 **Author's note: Ok so, usually I like to avoid writing an afternote, but here it is. So, that was….fun. I hope that you guys enjoyed this chapter, because there was a good bit of comedy, and I hope it didn't seem….dry. Also, I just have to ask if you guys think I'm developing the characters well? Like if they're still in character? Meliodas is surprisingly hard for me to do. Maybe because I like King and Diane more, idk. I feel like King is the most developed character right now, but I'm trying to give them all a fair shot. Also, we just met Diane, and I hope you guys think I wrote her well. Anyway, that's what I gotta say, so see you guys next weekend.**

 **PS: When I put the bolded name, and the little caption next to it, it's kinda a reference to those character entrances in Borderlands 2 and such. So, sometimes I'll throw in a little fun caption in there.**


	8. Chapter 8: A New Addition

**I had an idea about this intro section. After a certain amount of chapters, I will change it to something else, that still applies to the story.**

 **This is a tale like no other. Where myths and legends are a reality. In the land known as Skyrim, a great plague has fallen unto the people. On the break of war between two distinct sides, Skyrim grows more conflicted by the minute. But, there is more to this story than meets the eye. A great danger awakens from it's slumber, keen on reaping it's revenge on those that had sealed it away. In desperate times like these, the people of Skyrim look to the heavens for a sign of hope, for a savior to save them all. That savior, is the Dragonborn.**

 **-A New Addition-**

Diane followed slowly behind the others as they led the way to their camp. King, the one whom she had hidden between her breasts for safety, walked timidly next to her, taking quick steps to stay with her pace. Looking back at her actions, Diane felt a wave of embarrassment wash over her, and discreetly hid her face behind one of her massive pig-tails. She didn't want them to notice something was wrong.

Still, as they walked in silence, Diane couldn't help but let her mind wander. The childish mage seemed familiar for some reason, and yet she couldn't quite put her finger on it. It was at the tip of her tongue. Where had she seen him before? Where? Then, a cog in her mind began to move. The wheels of her memory churned and spun. A memory flashed into her mind.

 **Four years ago ~ Somewhere in the Rift**

"This looks like a good enough spot. We'll set up here."

"You're sure someone will come through here? It's not a popular trade route or anything…."

"I'm tellin' ya, it's a good spot. Whatcha think Ban? It's good, ain't it?"

Diane stayed as low as she could behind the small grove. A short ways away, through a small cluster of trees, stood three men on the side of the cobblestone road. One, the leader, was a thick armed man with a large belly. He wielded an axe in his hands. The other two were skinnier than him, though one of them had a well toned body, and a scar across his neck. Diane watched with unwavering interest as they spoke to one another. It wasn't often that humans came through this road. Although it was once a popular trade route, it had fallen into decay, and lay as one of the roads less taken by travelers.

"Looks good enough to me. I'm tired anyways." The one called Ban spoke.

 **Ban the Greedy ~ Bandit. Thief. Alcoholic. Marauder. Collector of stolen goods.**

The three men stopped speaking, and began spreading out. As he was walking towards the edge of the road, Ban suddenly looked towards her position. Clasping her hand over her mouth, Diane pulled her body as low to the ground as possible. She waited several seconds before peeking back over the grove. He had carried on. Taking this as a sign to leave, Diane crawled away until she felt it was safe to stand back up again.

Getting onto her knees, she slowly stood up to her full height. The trees were about as tall as she was, rising high enough to cover her face with bushels of leaves. Most giants only reached about fifteen feet in height. Most giants also didn't look as 'human' as she did. Many had grey, rough skin, and little hair. Diane, however, had soft, warm skin, with long brown hair. It was something she had never come to understand, yet, she was grateful that she was at least not as bad off as the other giants.

Life was tough on her, nevertheless. Regardless of her more humanlike attributes, Humans still treated her the same way they would any giant. It was almost ironic, to her; to them, she was nothing more than another fearsome giant. But to the giants, she was some foreign creature, not belonging to the group. And so, she remained in the middle ground.

Diane began making her way downstream. Her large boots left giant footsteps in the soft sand of the river. A growl erupted from her stomach. She hadn't eaten anything in awhile. It'd been some time since she had seen a wild bear, or even some elk. Just the thought of meat made her mouth water. She _really_ was hungry.

As she was making her way downstream, a cry erupted from up the river. It wasn't the cry of an animal. It was a _human_ cry. Turning back, she looked up the river. The scream had only come once, and now it fell silent. Once again, her ears picked up the constant chattering of birds and the rush of cool water. Her eyes scanned the river a few moments more, before deciding there was nothing of interest to be looking for. She didn't want to risk being seen by those humans by the road. Diane knelt down next to the river, her eyes staring through the reflection of the water. Salmon, and other small fish swam about, oblivious to the looming figure above. A small twinge of sadness struck her heart.

 _If only people acted the same way._

She was, of course, referring to the imperturbable nature of the fish in her presence. Her eyes then adjusted to the surface of the water. She could see her reflection in the clear blue water. She stared at the girl in the river. She almost looked human. There were no trees, or people, or animals to measure her size with, telling her she was different. The girl in the river was, in every aspect, human. She could go to the cities, speak with the people, have friends….enjoy love.

 _Love_.

Love was one thing Diane had barely ever experienced in her life. She didn't know her own parents. She had no siblings that she knew of. People rarely treated her kindly, and most of them who did only did so out of fright. She envied the humans. The way they socialized, made friends, made love. All of it. All of it was something she could never hope to grasp.

In the midst of her sulking, Diane hardly noticed a new addition to the scenery. A body had washed ashore next to her. The waves gently lapped at his body, slowly pulling him back into the river's flow. From the corner of her eye, Diane spotted the newest addition to the scene. Without a second thought, spun her head around, staring at the figure. It was a boy. A young boy, by what looked like somewhere between 12 and 18 years old (she was never good with human ages as they differed for giants).

Diane scooted closer, examining his entire body using only her eyes, from head to toe. His light brown hair matted his face, covering most of his facial features. His large blue robe covered his body almost like a blanket. Diane's eyes focused on his chin. A small trickle of blood ran down from his lips. He was looking quite pale for a human. Curiosity got the better of her, and Diane gently pulled his robe off of his stomach. Underneath, the skin of his stomach had turned dark purple, and a red mark had formed in it's center. It was obvious that he had been severely injured, though to what, Diane remained completely clueless.

 _He's dying!_

The terrifying thought shot through her brain. Hands shaking, Diane wondered what to do. She had never run into this situation before, and she couldn't just leave the boy here to die. An idea popped into her head, and she quickly dug her hands into the sand underneath the boy's body.

Carefully, like picking up a fragile piece of glass, Diane brought up her hand from underneath the boy. The grains of sand filtered through the gaps between her fingers, leaving only the boy's body in her hand. Using her other hand, she pulled a small leather pack around to her stomach. She had fashioned the pack out of bear pelts, and mostly used it to gather supplies. Sticking her hand inside, she rummaged through the supplies. To her dismay, the boy let out a sickening cough, causing more blood to spurt out of his mouth.

"Don't worry! I've got you! You're going to be alright!" She found herself saying. Her fingers probed through the various items in her pouch till she found it. Out came her hand, two fingers pinching onto a relatively small wooden barrel. She had 'procured' it when she had run across an abandoned wagon full of supplies. Upon scraping herself sometime afterwards, she had discovered, to her amazement, that the contents inside were actually medicinal herbs.

"Hold on!" She pleaded. The boy was groaning now, even fidgeting a bit. Popping the lid off, she tilted the barrel towards the boy's body. Just as a human would season food, Diane lightly tapped the contents of the barrel onto the boy. Small, white, flakes covered him. Almost instantly, she could see the color returning to his face. His fidgeting ceased, and his body relaxed in her palm.

Diane could feel her heart rising. She had never felt so happy in her life. She had _saved_ him. She had actually helped. Maybe they could be friends? Maybe he could introduce her to others, and tell them that she wasn't actually a bad person? The possibilities fluttered about in her mind. Just then, she heard a new set of voices from the forest behind her.

"Have you seen anything yet poppa?"

"No Volkir, I haven't. But we won't spot anything unless you stay quiet, alright?"

"Whatever you say poppa!" They weren't the same voices as the men she had seen on the bridge. One was too young, and the other too old. She looked about her. There wasn't any time! She needed to run before they spotted her, otherwise the whole town would be hunting her down, and she would have to move her spot! She looked down at the boy. A frown returned to her face, as she slowly set his body down against the grass.

"This is the right thing to do." She said aloud, a reassurance to herself. Pulling out one last thing from her bag, she laid down a bear pelt across his body. _That'll keep him warm_. She looked again into the forest. She could hear the voices coming nearer. Taking one last look at the boy, she smiled sadly at him,

"I hope we meet again." She whispered, before scampering off into the forest. Just as she managed to hide herself into the brush, two figures emerged from the road. Hiding behind the brush of leaves and trees, Diane watched carefully. If they should happen to miss the boy's presence, she would make sure not to leave him behind. The two humans were an old man, and a young boy, even younger than the one she had pulled from the river. Both held fishing rods in their hands, strolling along while chatting to one another.

"This looks like a good spot to start. Why don't you go on ahead Volkir, and check the river." The older man instructed. The young boy nodded eagerly, and scampered off to the river. The old man followed behind him, walking slowly. Some time elapsed before Diane heard the inevitable call of the boy.

"Poppa! Poppa! There's a boy! A boy washed up in the river!"

Diane's heart fell. She was, of course, happy that someone had found the boy. Someone who would help him. Someone who would no doubt be better at helping him than herself. Yet, she still couldn't deny the small part of her that hoped he would remain unfound. She would be able to heal him, and they would spend time together. All of it was but a fantasy now, a dream. She watched silently as the elderly man rushed in after the boy, as fast as his old legs could carry him.

A few moments passed before the two humans appeared, gently dragging the boy on the grass behind them. They set him down again, and the old man crouched down. His old legs shook as he knelt down next to the boy.

"He's unconscious now, but he might just pull through. Someone was kind enough to give him some healing powder before they left him." The old man diagnosed. Diane watched as the two began to inspect the boy, when she spotted something else. In the trees, opposite her and across the opening from where the humans stood, three figures sat in the shadows. Diane squinted. One of the figures moved about frantically, making sporadic movements. At one point, the figure pushed forward enough for Diane to distinguish it's figures. It was not one person, but two. It was Ban, the spiky white haired man she had seen on the road before.

Only this time, he was holding a knife against the throat of a small blonde haired girl. Diane's fists tightened. The girl was gagged, and bound. She was twisting against the hold of Ban, but the bandit held her tight, making sure to avoid any noise. It seemed that she wasn't the only one trying to avoid the attention of the old man and his son. The other two figures, however, began to slowly approach from the bushes, weapons drawn.

 _They're going to ambush them!_

Diane grimaced. If they made a move for the humans in the clearing, she would have to blow her cover. _She would have to_. It was the only way she could help protect them. Carefully, she watched in anticipation, as the two bandits made their approach. Like sabertooths lining up on their prey, they readied themselves for the pounce. Diane prepared to jump out from the trees. Just before either side could make their move, a voice called from down the road.

"Hey! You there! Haven't you heard? There's been bandit sightings around recently!" Three guards trotted over to the old man and the two boys. Diane eased down, along with the two bandits. With clenched teeth, Diane watched, helplessly, as the three bandits retreated into the shadows, carrying the girl with them.

"You should return to the village. Get him patched up by Brea, she's good with medicine." The three guards lifted the injured boy into the air, carrying him carefully down the road. The elderly man followed close behind. Diane watched as the young boy began to follow, when he paused. Diane froze. He was looking in her direction. The boy squinted, looking into the woods. He was beginning to set foot into the woods when the older man called from the road.

"Volkir! Let's go! You heard what the man said!" The boy quickly ran after his father. Diane didn't waste any time. Slowly, as to make sure she didn't make any noise, she retreated from her position. Once she was out of range, she returned to her normal height once again, and began walking back to her cave. She sighed heavily,

 _If only he could've stayed…._

 **Present time ~ In the Woods**

Diane stared down at King. It was him. There was no doubt about it! They had the same light brown hair, childish features, blue robes, everything! Her thoughts whirled in commotion. What was she to do with this newfound discovery? Should she tell him? What would she tell him? _How_ would she tell him? She was so caught up in her own questions she barely noticed the voice calling to her.

"Excuse me?"

"Huh?" The giantess blinked, looking down at her feet. It was the girl that had come in with Meliodas to 'rescue' King. She still had yet to learn her name. She had long white hair, which partly covered her left eye, and wore light leather armor. She didn't seem like the adventuring type, nor did she seem like a bandit. The girl was too skinny and scared looking. The girl smiled warmly at Diane, something that she was still not used to.

"You were a bit out of it there for a second. Still, I don't believe I've introduced myself. I'm Elizabeth, nice to meet you!" Elizabeth made a small curtsy at Diane. Though she herself had never seen it before, she assumed the act was some sign of respect. Diane smiled back,

"I'm Diane." She stuck out her hand respectfully. Elizabeth seemed taken aback by the gesture, and Diane was afraid she had startled her. She was surprised when Elizabeth placed her miniscule hand in hers and shook it as firmly as she could.

"Nice to meet you Diane!" Elizabeth replied happily. The path led into a small clearing. A wagon, hooked up to two horses, stood tethered to a nearby tree. A small fire sat ablaze in the center of the clearing, surrounded by three sleeping bags. The horses whinnied and jumped about at the sight of Diane. Feeling embarrassed, she hid her face behind her pigtails. King rushed over to the horses, stroking their noses and calming them down. Meanwhile, everyone else gathered around the campfire, and sat down. Diane found a large open spot, and slowly sat down, crossing her legs.

"I should introduce you to everyone else. You've already met King," Elizabeth pointed towards the timid Mage. King reddened upon being called upon, and smiled weakly at Diane. Unsure of how to respond, she merely returned a small smile, and allowed Elizabeth to continue. She then pointed to the young man with spiked blonde hair, "And this, is Sir Meliodas!" Meliodas grinned,

"I didn't know giants looked as beautiful as you." He said bluntly. Diane's cheeks instantly burned red. She had never received such a comment before. Her heart skyrocketed into her throat, blocking her ability to speak. She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Clearing her throat, Diane tried again,

"*Ahem* Well, we don't. I'm just special I guess."

"Sure are. I mean look at you. What size are you?"

"Size?" Diane asked innocently. "I don't know how tall I am in human measurements…"

"No, no. Not height." Meliodas waved her off. He placed his hands on his chest, "I mean bra size."

"You can't ask that!" King was quick to protest. Elizabeth gasped in shock,

"Sir Meliodas! That's rude! You can't ask a girl those kinds of questions!" Meliodas shrugged, oblivious to the crime he had committed. Without a second thought, he grasped Elizabeth's breasts,

"I can usually tell just from grabbing them. Elizabeth's just about a-" Before he could finish, he was silenced by Elizabeth's hand. Meliodas returned to his sleeping bag, a red hot mark on his cheek.

"I honestly don't understand you girls."

"So, uh, Diane. What were you doing out here in the first place?" King hastily changed the subject. Diane pouted, squinting her eyes at King skeptically.

"I could be asking you the same thing." King raised his hands in defense.

"Fair enough!" King pointed towards Meliodas, who was now laying down on his sleeping bag. "The lecher you see over there, is actually the Dragonborn. I don't suppose you're familiar with the nordic legends of the Dragonborn?" King inquired. Diane shook her head. Meliodas groaned,

"Not this again. I'm going to sleep." The dragonborn rolled over in his sleeping bag, wrapping himself up in a cocoon. King rolled his eyes.

"Anyway, long story short, he's the only one who can kill Alduin."

"Who's Alduin?" Diane asked.

"He's a Dragon. An evil dragon, who intends to enslave mankind. They call him, _The World Eater_." Elizabeth added. King nodded,

"And Meliodas here, is the only one who can kill him. So, we're on our way to _The Throat of the World_ , where the old humans first vanquished Alduin, so Meliodas can train in the ways of speaking dragon, so he can defeat Alduin, and save Skyrim." King put simply. Diane raised her eyebrows in surprise.

"It's just the three of you?"

"Four!" Hawk added from under the cart. Diane grinned,

"Oh right, the pig. Do I still get to eat him?" Hawk squealed and buried himself out of sight under the cart. Elizabeth gasped,

"Hawk is a member of the team! We would never eat him!" Diane smiled.

"I was only joking." Elizabeth smiled back, and nodded at Hawk, who displayed his gratitude by returning her smile with a thumbs up. Meanwhile, behind their backs, Diane turned to King, and winked. The mage smiled slyly.

"So what about you? You never told us what _you_ were doing here." King questioned. As if on cue, Diane's stomach let out a loud growl.

"I _was_ searching for something to eat. Then that spider showed up…." Diane shivered, closing her eyes in disgust, "...I hate insects!" As they were speaking, a small ant crawled along King's arm. Upon seeing it, King quickly flicked it off.

"Haha, yeah me too." Elizabeth tilted her head, puzzled.

"I thought you liked bugs Sir King. Don't you read up on them a lot?" King quickly found his lie falling apart. Quick as a flash, he found the perfect lie to cover up his mistake.

"Haha, what? No, I use those to read up on how to _kill_ bugs, you know? Hehe, yeah." Diane smiled, nodding her approval.

"Yeah!" King let out a sigh of relief.

"Anyway, if you need some food, we've got some spare food in our wagon." Elizabeth offered. Diane's stomach growled again. She smiled sheepishly,

"Really?" King stood up,

"Of course, what would you like?" It didn't take long for Diane to think of what she wanted. She _knew_ what she wanted to eat. Meat. Any kind of meat, as long as it was tender, juicy, and chewy. She hadn't even answered the question, and she had already started salivating just from the thought of it. Almost instantly, she blurted,

"Meat!" Recognizing her outburst, she laughed nervously and added, "You know, if you have any spare…." King smiled and hurried off to the cart. Before long, he returned, dragging a large crate filled with dry meats. King deposited the crate within Diane's reach, who thanked him, and quickly pulled the crate over. There were several large slabs of meat, everything ranging from an elk to a bear. Her mouth watered just by staring at it. She hadn't had such good looking food since….before she could remember! Her hands had a mind of their own as they attacked the box, pulling out three slabs of meat. Opening her mouth, she shoved the meat inside, chewing down on it with ecstasy. It was the most beautiful meat she had ever tasted. It wasn't like the wild game she hunted. This had some sort of added taste, a spice, or salt maybe. She loved humans. They always made the best food! She had just about started her second piece when she became aware of King staring at her. He seemed to be seriously interested in watching her eat. Growing uncomfortable, Diane bit off a small piece of meat, and turned away from him shyly.

"Can you not watch me eat….?" She said, in the gentlest way possible. King seemed to realize his staring, and quickly apologized, staring in the opposite direction. As Diane bit into the meat, the thought that had been nagging at the back of her head took over her thoughts once again.

 _Do I tell him?_

From over her shoulder, she peeked at King. The mage lay down in his sleeping bag, legs folded, staring into a book. Diane returned to eating. _It might be better if I wait for now. I barely know these people. For all I know, he might not even be that boy I met at the river all those years ago! I'll just wait for now._ Upon reaching her decision, the thought was quickly replaced with thoughts of meat and spice. Diane quickly finished the rest of the meat in her hands. Her stomach let out a deep grumble, signifying it's satisfaction. Turning back around, Diane pushed the crate back over to the wagon.

"Thanks for the meat…." She said towards both King and Elizabeth.

"No problem! We had plenty." Elizabeth smiled. "So, what will you do now?" She followed up. Diane hadn't thought about it. She was not accustomed to being so warmly welcomed into a group of humans. She usually tried to stay away from them, as most of them usually fled out of fright. Now that she was with them, she wasn't sure where to go from here.

"I hadn't really thought about it." She confessed. King put his book down and looked at Elizabeth.

"What if she joined us?" Elizabeth clapped her hands together.

"That sounds like a wonderful idea! Would you join us on our quest to _The Throat of the World_?" Elizabeth asked simply. Diane was, once again, at a loss for words.

Of course, she _wanted_ to say yes. But she hesitated; what if they grew tired of her? Her size would only prove to be troublesome for them. It was a burden she had had to live with her whole life. She hated being so big. It only caused her problems; everything from eating, to getting clothes, to socialization. It had been _years_ since she actually had any _true_ socialization with humans, elves, or any other races of this size. Diane remained silent for a while, causing Elizabeth to ask,

"Diane? Are you alright?" Diane snapped out of her thoughts, and nodded.

"Oh, uh, yes! Yes, I would love to!" It felt good saying that. She was part of the team now. She had a family. She had friends. She was no longer alone. Yes, Diane was sure. She _wanted_ to join them. Elizabeth clapped again,

"Alright! It'll be fun to have another girl on the team! Though, we might need to run this through Sir Meliodas before we make any final decisions-"

"I accept your request, welcome to the team! Now go to sleep!" Said dragonborn groaned. Diane stared at the sky. It was pretty late.

"I'll take the watch this time." King surprisingly volunteered. Elizabeth smiled,

"Wow, thanks King. C'mon Diane, you should get some sleep. We've got a lot of walking ahead of us tomorrow!" Diane smiled back at Elizabeth, and laid down on the soft grass next to the fire. It's flames were all but diminished now. Only small embers of ash and wood remained. Kicking out her legs, Diane curled back into a fetal position, and closed her eyes. Everything had happened so fast! But Elizabeth was right. If she wanted her head to be on straight tomorrow, she would need all of the sleep she could get.

King watched from afar as Diane closed her eyes and fell asleep. Elizabeth went to sleep right after, leaving him to watch over the camp.

Watching over the camp was fine with him. It meant he got to watch over Diane.

 **Morthal ~ Drajkmyr Marsh**

"Please ma'am, can we rest now?" Houser wheezed from the weight of his pack. It wasn't filled with much. In fact, it wasn't very heavy. All it contained, was a sleeping bag, a few rations of food, and a map. But, walking for almost two days straight had depleted Houser of all of his energy. He no longer had the will to move. Jericho on the other hand, looked ready to go on for another three days! Even Captain Aldis looked exhausted! Jericho sighed heavily and nodded,

"Yes, I suppose we can. Troops! We're making camp here tonight!" Jericho announced. Her announcement was quickly followed by several sighs of relief. She then turned strictly to Houser, and poked him in his new leather breastplate.

"And what did I tell you about calling me ma'am?" She questioned. Houser ran his hand across his golden hair and pondered what it was exactly she had told him. After several seconds of silence, Jericho shook her head in irritance.

"It's SIR to you, auxiliary. Don't forget that!" With a huff, the masculine woman marched off to set up her tent. Houser wondered what he had done wrong. If she was a woman, wasn't it customary to call a female officer by Ma'am? He felt a tap on his shoulder. Houser turned around to see the face of Gilthunder staring at him.

Gilthunder was one of the other recruits he had met on their 'expedition'. He was a quiet man, of about 30 years old. He had greyish-brown hair, and always had a calm expression on his face. He had a handsome face. Houser doubted he ever had any trouble with the ladies. Which led to him wondering why a man like him would ever join the Imperial Legion.

"How about helping me set up my tent? I haven't got the knack for this stuff yet." Houser smiled.

"Yeah man, then you can help me with mine." The two walked over to a small patch of wet grass flat enough to pitch a tent. Gilthunder chuckled,

"I'm not sure I'll be much help to you, but I'll try." The two men began pitching their tent, when a wail echoed out from another member of the party. A younger woman, with shoulder length reddish-brown hair sat on the ground, her arms crossed in a pout. Her name was Vivian. She seemed, at least to Houser, emotional and childish. She sometimes acted as though they weren't fighting in the army, but merely playing in a game.

"Legate Jericho, the ground is too soft! I can't pitch my tent!" Jericho groaned, removing her helmet. Her long, silver ponytail fell from inside the helmet. Wiping the sweat off her forehead, she stared at Vivian blankly.

"Then try another patch auxiliary. I'm sure there's more ground to be pitched." Vivian pouted, gathering her things and moving onto another patch. From over her shoulder, she watched as Gilthunder and Houser set up their tent.

"Well, doesn't look half bad." Gilthunder commented. Houser snorted,

"Doesn't matter how good it is to me, as long as I can sleep in it!" The two men chuckled together.

"Excuse me, Gilthunder? Could you help me pitch my tent?" Vivian called. Gilthunder and Houser shared a look before the handsome auxiliary went to help his comrade. Houser proceeded to set up his own tent. Finishing it rather quickly, he overheard a set of footsteps coming towards him. They were heavy, and flat footed. He turned around. Griamore stood overlooking his tent. He was a big man, full of muscles. His arms and chest were extremely buff.

"So, you ready to get this guy or what? We've been traveling long enough. I just want to get him already." Griamore boasted. Houser shrugged,

"I'm not so sure if I'm battle ready, but I'm sure we'd make a great team if we all united." Griamore humphed.

"That's what they all say. Still, I'm eager to get in the fight." Griamore walked away before Houser could respond. Just before the night fell, everyone had finished pitching their tents. Although Gilthunder made a valiant effort in helping Vivian set up her tent, in the end, Houser had substituted for him.

Jericho waited quietly in her large tent, waiting for Captain Aldis to arrive. When the captain finally walked through the tent flaps, Jericho sat down at a small wooden table. Aldis stood at attention at the tent entrance,

"You wanted to see me Legate?" Jericho nodded,

"Yes, please sit." Aldis joined her, sitting directly across from her.

"We've gotten new reports." Jericho pointed down at a map spread across the table. "Tullius wants us to speak with the Jarl of Whiterun, and try and make amends, and secure an alliance. We're to be the negotiator in his decision on what side he joins." Aldis looked surprised,

"But I thought-"

"Yes, I know." Jericho cut him off. "But these are trying times, and we're running out of time. The reports about increasing Stormcloak activity around Whiterun concern the General. He believes that, since we are already on our way across Whiterun, it might be best to make a move now." Captain Aldis sat quietly in his chair. An awkward silence filled the tent before Jericho stood up.

"Unless you have anything to say, that was all I had to speak to you about." Aldis stood up, confused,

"Why did you call me in here?" Jericho avoided staring him in the eye. She smirked,

"I like to keep my officers informed. Soldiers who trust one another, fight together as a unit. Anyways, go back to your tent captain. You'll need your strength for tomorrow." Aldis nodded, and saluted her before exiting the tent.

That night, Houser was having trouble falling asleep in his bed. He was thinking about what Griamore had said. The eagerness of his spirit confused him. Was war really as glorified as they made it out to be in songs and stories? Or was it something only nightmares were made of? Houser whistled quietly at his tent's wall. Gilthunder's tent was just besides his. Before long, a similar whistle returned his call. They had learned to communicate through whistling, as it was better than calling out to one another. That usually got Jericho mad.

"Yo, Gil."

"Yeah?" Gil's voice whispered.

"When do you think we'll run into stormcloaks? You know, get into action?" A small pause ensued.

"I'm not sure." Gilthunder replied thoughtfully, "It could be any moment really. They say the countryside is full of them."

"I heard they're gathering an army to attack Whiterun." Houser confessed. Another pause from Gilthunder.

"Surely you can't be serious."

"I am serious." Houser promised.

"I have a younger cousin living in Whiterun." Gilthunder began, "She's only 8. She lives with her father, my uncle. They're both bakers." Houser decided to cheer him up,

"I'm sure they'll be fine. Besides, if Whiterun ever does come under siege, we'll be there to defend it!" Although he couldn't see it, Houser had a feeling Gilthunder was smiling. Though they had only met a couple days ago, they were already growing to be good friends. A light chuckle emitted from outside the tent.

"Yeah. I guess you're right."

"I know I'm right." Houser replied, jokingly.

"Well, if that's the case then _auxiliary_ , then you would _know_ that it's 0100 hours! Go. To. Sleep!" Jericho's voice groaned from her tent. Houser and Gilthunder quickly shut up. Houser closed his eyes, and put his head against his rough hay pillow. He wondered, would the Stormcloak's really dare an attack on Whiterun?

 **I'm surprised at how much I've written so far. Honestly, I didn't think I'd get this far, and yet here we are. I still feel that, even though Diane's been only in two chapters, she and King have had the most character development. If that's so, I'm sorry to you Meliodas and Elizabeth fans. I'm trying, I really am. I guess I'm a bit biased towards the other two.**

 **Also, a question for you guys. Do you guys like my writing style? Do you ever get confused on how I write dialogue? Or is it clear enough for you guys to understand?**


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